


all of my moments (have been colored with you)

by Namidatzu



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Slow Burn, crash landing on you au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 48,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26712022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Namidatzu/pseuds/Namidatzu
Summary: Fate always finds a way to bring two people together, and Mina and Dahyun are no exception to this - only, their worlds collide through a plane crash.But later they find that more than their lives being intertwined by fate alone, it's destiny that ultimately binds them to each other.
Relationships: Kim Dahyun/Myoui Mina
Comments: 31
Kudos: 227





	1. the world that is only for us

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Mihyun Day, everyone! So, here it is, my first Mihyun multi-chapter work and the one I've been excited to write for so long! At first, I intended for this fic to be a one-shot or at least like the childhood friends AU I wrote, but more ideas suddenly started to flow in and I thought, heck, why not turn this into a multi-chapter series instead?
> 
> The whole fic was inspired by the song "All of My Days" by Sejeong and it's also where I got the title from.  
> "Let Us Go" by Crush was the main inspiration for this chapter and the chapter title :D
> 
> Thank you in advance for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did while I was writing it!

In her sleep, Mina feels the grass tickling the soles of her feet instead of the soft, weighty covers that envelop her in a cocoon and keep her warm. It’s the beginning of spring in her dream, and in the middle of a field of flowers, Mina stands looking out into the horizon, her dress flowing about in the wind while the spring breeze caresses her face. Surrounding her are a colorful array of tulips that slowly start to blossom one after the other; the one colored a vibrant red being the last to reach full bloom.

And when it does, Mina hears the muffled sound of footsteps quietly padding against the bare earth from behind her, growing more and more distinct with each passing beat. Instead of being scared or worried, however, Mina feels strangely comforted by the new presence – almost as though she had been expecting it all this time.

She turns around and finds the other person standing no more than a few feet away from her; and, as always, there’s no one else around other than the two of them. 

Yet, as much as Mina wants to take a closer look at her companion’s face, the harsh glare of the sun in the background makes it impossible for her to do so. What she is able to make out, however, is slightly long, jet-black hair that fall in loose waves; the defined crinkling of her companion’s eyes around the corners; and a broad, seemingly lopsided grin that somehow doesn’t clash with the brightness of the sun.

A faint kind of yearning stirs deep within Mina’s chest then, which only intensifies when her alarm starts to blare and tears her away from her mysterious companion as she’s rudely awakened from her sleep. With a sigh and a groan of disappointment, Mina blindly reaches for her alarm clock and shuts it down.

Rolling over onto her back, Mina cracks one eye open first, and then the other, the throbbing in her chest lingering as she stares up at the ceiling. She heaves out another sigh, wondering how things would have gone in her dream if only she’d been able to sleep a little longer.

Then again, it’s always been that way. Whenever she has the same dream, something would happen to interrupt Mina before she can try and see beyond that strangely familiar and comforting grin that she’s already committed to memory. She’s even beginning to think that her alarm clock is evil for jerking her awake at the _exact_ same time her companion appears.

Still, much as she wants to dwell on it a little further, she has a morning meeting she needs to get ready for, and then a flight she has to get on later in the evening. All things considered, though, it’s nowhere near as bad as her longer days where she has photoshoots, interviews, and performances crammed into a single day; so, Mina supposes she should be grateful that this isn’t going to be one of those.

But Mina knows it’s going to be a good day – it always is whenever she wakes up from that very same dream. It might seem silly, but Mina honestly can’t recall a time where she’s ever had a remotely bad day after she catches a glimpse of that smile. At times, it even feels as though the person in her dream is there to reassure her – though for what reason, Mina isn’t sure herself.

It’s why she’s light on her feet as she slips out of her bed and shuffles out of her bedroom and towards the bathroom, the carpet and the sunlight trickling through the windows providing Mina enough warmth to make up for the loss of the thick covers that were wrapped around her only a few moments ago.

While she waits for the warm water running from the tap to fill the tub, Mina finds her thoughts wandering to the person in her dream again. For some reason, she’s been having the same dream more frequently as of late, and Mina can’t shake off the feeling that it might be a sign of sorts.

Not that she knows much about how dreams work, but Mina thinks that it has to at least mean something – even though she can’t quite grasp what it is yet.

Then again, it’s no use mulling over what she doesn’t understand, so she decides to push it away for later and instead conditions herself for the rest of the day.

Halfway through her bath, her phone rings with a call, and Mina puts it on loudspeaker as she answers.

_“Mi-tang!”_

At the sound of Sana’s bright, cheery voice, Mina smiles and greets back, “Good morning, Sana.”

_“We’re still on for lunch later, right? Before you have to go to the airport?”_

“Of course,” Mina agrees. “Momo’s coming, too, right?”

_“Yup! I told her she better come or she’ll be sleeping on the couch for a week,”_ Sana says with a tiny humph, no doubt puffing out her cheeks.

Mina chuckles fondly and shakes her head at the image, even though it’s an empty threat on Sana’s part. She would know, because Sana always complains to her about not being able to get a good night’s rest whenever Momo is away for a business meeting.

She doesn’t tease Sana, though, because she doesn’t want to be the reason Momo actually sleeps on the couch.

Instead, she says, “Alright, it’s my treat, then.”

_“Aww! That’s so sweet of you, Minari!”_ Sana coos, making Mina laugh.

“Yeah, I just feel bad that the three of us haven’t gotten to hang out lately with how busy I’ve been…” Mina admits, absentmindedly splashing the water around.

_“Hey, don’t be! I mean, Momo and I have been pretty busy, too; so, we’re all in the same boat,”_ Sana reassures her. _“Besides, we’re happy that your side business is booming, and we’re looking forward to that new theater you’re going to have built.”_

At the sincerity and sheer earnestness in Sana’s voice, Mina instantly feels better, the corners of her lips pulling into a smile as she says, “Thanks, Sa-tang. That means a lot to me.”

_“What are friends for, right?”_ Sana giggles. _“But I definitely wouldn’t mind going on a trip one of these days.”_

Mina hums in agreement; a trip does sound nice, especially since the last one she took was almost a year ago because she’s been swamped with after she got back home. Maybe once her new business has settled in and her new theater is built, she’ll go on that long overdue break and unwind for a couple of weeks or so.

As to where she wants to go…

Switzerland would be perfect, she thinks, with its spectacular sights and the tulips blooming all around during spring.

“We should go on one, then,” Mina decides. “We’ll schedule a vacation when things settle down for all three of us.”

_“Yay!”_ Sana squeals in delight, causing Mina to giggle. _“We can talk about it more when you get back from your trip. How does that sound?”_

“Excited much?” Mina teases.

_“Well, it’s been so long since we had our last vacation,”_ Sana complains. _“It’s even starting to feel like my honeymoon with Momo was the last one I’ve been on.”_

“Okay, now you’re just exaggerating,” Mina points out with a laugh.

_“Maybe, but go ahead and tell me you aren’t itching for a break this instant.”_

Mina chews on her bottom lip and eventually relents, “Fine, you got me there.”

_“See! But let’s talk about it more later. See you at lunch, Mina!”_

“See you later, Sana! Tell Momo I said hi.”

_“Sure thing! Bye-bye!”_

Mina then hangs up and decides to soak in the bath for a few more minutes, sighing in contentment at the perfect warmth of the water that surrounds her. If she had the time, she would have loved to stay in a little longer; but sadly, she doesn’t. So, after a short while, she slips out of the tub with a sigh and drains the water, then dries herself off with a towel and puts on a robe before heading towards her walk-in closet.

She purses her lips as she mixes and matches her options inside her head, then chooses a purple blouse and a pair of slacks. Once she’s satisfied with her appearance, she leaves the closet and prepares the rest of her belongings and grabs her car keys before leaving the apartment.

On her way to her office building, Mina offers a silent prayer that whoever and wherever the woman is in her dream, that she would find the sun shining down on her, too – that there would be countless reasons for her eyes to crinkle happily around the corners and into an endless smile.

\-----

It’s rare for Dahyun to dream – even rarer still for them to be pleasant ones and not be filled with heartache or a painful kind of longing. So, when she dreams that she’s walking along the beach with her pants rolled up a little past her ankles and her bare feet padding against the sand, Dahyun doesn’t toss and turn around in her old, worn-out bed for the third day in a row.

At first, she’s alone, but having found herself in the same scenario many times over the course of the months, Dahyun knows that that couldn’t be any further from the truth. More than anything, she’s sure that there’s someone waiting for her, and Dahyun wants nothing more than to be with _her_ once again.

So, when Dahyun spots a lone figure standing in the distance, she feels her heart start to race with every step closer that she takes. The tightness in her chest that holds her heart in a vice grip when she’s awake is nowhere to be found, instead replaced with a lightness and a feeling of peace Dahyun hasn’t felt in a long while.

The sand doesn’t drag her feet down, either, as though telling her that it won’t keep her from reuniting with her companion. Dahyun is grateful for it, because she wants to see _her_ as soon as she can.

For the longest time, the ocean has always been her safe haven; the place where she finds herself running off to when she’s in need of comfort. Even in her sleep, it seems as though she’s no different – but more than the ocean, it’s _her_ presence that Dahyun seeks out.

Dahyun’s breath catches in her throat when she realizes that she’s finally standing right in front of _her_ ; and it’s as if nothing else matters then. The restlessness that had been clouding over her for the past two weeks melts away the moment _her_ lips pull at the corners and into a soft, gummy smile that makes Dahyun ache for different reasons.

In the background, the waves crash gently against the shore before they retreat back into the ocean; the salty sea breeze nowhere near as soothing as the tender stroke of her companion’s thumb against her cheek. If Dahyun could, she would stay here longer and drown not within the ocean’s depths, but in the solace that _her_ smile offers.

And even though neither of them can speak, the ghost of a gentle touch caressing her face is more than enough for Dahyun to rest easy.

Yet, as much as Dahyun wants to stay, her alarm clock has an entirely different idea for her. In the split second that her alarm starts to ring, the ocean and _her_ presence crumble away, leaving Dahyun to sigh in disappointment as she shuts down the piercing noise.

She gives herself a few more minutes before slowly sitting up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she yawns and perches herself over the edge of her bed. Then, with a small grimace, she cranes her neck and rolls her shoulders to get rid of the stiffness that have settled in her joints while she was asleep.

Along with the early morning breeze that slips past the open windows of her room, tiny cracks of orange and gold peer through and illuminates whatever inch of space they could find. In the distance, the fishermen yell about their haul; but Dahyun’s mind drifts off to somewhere far away for her to be able to register the chirping of the birds and the fluttering of the curtains.

Dazed and half-asleep, Dahyun swears she can still feel the brush of _her_ fingertips against her own cheek; and, out of habit, she presses her fingers against the spot where the touch remains.

As unbelievable as it may sound, it’s almost as though it’s a sign of sorts; given how Dahyun has had the same dream three nights in a row when there’s usually a few days in between to space out how often it happens.

But Dahyun decides to set the thought aside for now and shakes herself wide awake instead. She winces at the sound of her joints popping back into place as she gets up from her bed, making sure to fold her thinned-out blankets before crossing the few steps between the door to her bedroom and the kitchen; which also acts as a living room on the other side where a small shelf is pushed against one corner.

Like clockwork, she goes through her routine of eating her breakfast; heats just enough water for her bath using the kettle; slips into her bathroom to brush her teeth and take a swift shower; then puts on a fresh pair of fatigues that she automatically takes out of her cabinet.

She then pauses by the narrow threshold to put on her boots, clipping her radio onto her pants as she stands up.

What greets her the moment she steps outside her house are some of the adults rushing towards the direction of the marketplace, either to set up their stalls or be the first in line to buy fresh vegetables or meat before they’re sold out.

A slight pang tightens Dahyun’s chest at the thought, even though she’s knows that the situation now is much better compared to how it was months ago.

As she walks down the path connecting the houses together, Dahyun hears her name being called out by one of the grandmas.

“Captain Dahyun!” The grandma waves at Dahyun eagerly, beckoning for her to come over.

With a bright smile, Dahyun approaches her and asks, “Grandma, you’re up early.”

“I was waiting for you to pass by so I could give this to you,” the grandma says as she offers Dahyun a small bag filled with plastic containers of various side dishes.

“I can’t take this,” Dahyun protests, knowing how hard up the villagers already are trying to sustain themselves.

“Nonsense!” The grandma waves her off and pushes the bag into Dahyun’s hands. “You know it’s just me and my husband living in the house, and the two of us can’t finish all this.”

Dahyun frowns, but eventually decides to accept. “I’ll be sure share this with everyone else,” she promises as she bows down. “Thank you for the food, grandma.”

“Oh dear, no need to be so formal!” The grandma chides her playfully, which makes Dahyun smile. “Besides, we’re the ones who should be thanking you for helping us get back on our feet again.”

For a brief moment, Dahyun feels her throat close up, but she forces the smile to stay on her lips. “We’ll do our best,” she promises. “Thank you again, grandma!”

“No worries! Have a good day, Captain!”

Dahyun waves the grandma goodbye and continues down the path leading to the house where Chaeyoung, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon live. Along the way, she greets the other villagers with a smile and engages in small talk with some of them; then exchanges high fives and fist bumps with the kids that run to greet her with broad grins and sparkling eyes.

Just the sight of those smiles is enough to lift Dahyun’s spirits, which she knows would help carry her throughout the day.

With the windows open, Dahyun can hear Nayeon and Jeongyeon bickering over who gets to shower first, making Dahyun sigh and rub at her temple. Any other day, she would have knocked first before going in, but she wants to see their panicked expressions at her arrival and have a good laugh out of it; so, Dahyun twists the doorknob open instead of knocking.

“Hey, you took a shower first yester-“

“Guess I was right about the three of you not being ready yet,” Dahyun remarks as she steps into the threshold, cutting Nayeon off midsentence.

“Oh, shit.” Jeongyeon, still in her shirt and shorts, looks like a deer caught in headlights at Dahyun’s sudden appearance.

“Good morning, Captain!” Nayeon says cheerfully, almost as if Dahyun didn’t catch them squabbling just a few seconds ago.

Despite herself, Dahyun smiles a little and shakes her head. “Wait, where’s Chaeyoung?”

“Chaeyoung? She’s-“ Jeongyeon looks around the living room in search for Chaeyoung, until the three of them hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

“Son Chaeyoung!” Nayeon screeches, causing Jeongyeon and Dahyun to wince and cover their ears. With how loud she is, Dahyun wouldn’t be surprised if the whole village heard her. “You sneaky-“

Dahyun clears her throat to get her attention, and Nayeon clamps her mouth shut. “To be fair, she wouldn’t have gotten ahead of you two if you didn’t spend so much time bickering,” she points out.

“You’re always taking her side,” Nayeon complains with a pout. “Right, Jeong?”

Jeongyeon just shrugs. “Dunno why she would take yours.”

Affronted, Nayeon makes a strangled noise at the back of her throat which Jeongyeon ignores. Dahyun, meanwhile, doesn’t bother telling them off since she knows from experience that it would only fall on deaf ears, anyway.

Chaeyoung soon appears from the bathroom, already dressed in her uniform and unfazed by the annoyed glare Nayeon sends her way as she plops down on the couch. She grins at Dahyun. “Morning, Cap!”

“Morning, Chaeng,” Dahyun greets back.

“You’re looking pretty chipper today, Cap,” Jeongyeon observes, eyeing Dahyun.

A slight smile twitches at Dahyun’s lips when she remembers her dream, and she fights off the urge to touch her cheek. Instead of confirming Jeongyeon’s comment, however, she decides to be vague about it. “Maybe,” she says with a shrug.

Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung share a look and a raised eyebrow, but otherwise say nothing.

Sensing that Nayeon is about to make a teasing remark, Dahyun hurriedly changes the topic. “Alright, enough chitchat and go get ready. We’ve got a lot of work cut out for us today.”

“Yes, boss!” Nayeon salutes Dahyun. “Er, I mean, Captain.”

Dahyun snorts and waves her off. “First one to get to the bathroom gets more from this,” she says as she raises the bag she’s holding.

The three collectively turn their heads towards the bag, looking as though Dahyun may as well be showing them the holy grail with the way their eyes sparkle in awe.

Jeongyeon’s eyes widen. “Wait, is that-“

“- _that_ grandma’s side dishes!?” Nayeon loud-whispers.

“Good thing I’m already done, then,” Chaeyoung says smugly, which earns her another glare from Nayeon.

“Only because you cheated,” Nayeon retorts.

In the background, Jeongyeon starts sneaking towards the bathroom, but a loose floorboard creaks underneath her feet and gives her away.

Nayeon whips her head towards Jeongyeon and grits her teeth. “Yoo Jeongyeon!”

Jeongyeon tries to make a beeline towards the bathroom, but Nayeon is on her feet in the blink of an eye and pulling Jeongyeon back by the hem of her shirt the next.

Chaos then erupts with the two of them trying to outrun each other, with Chaeyoung egging Jeongyeon on and Dahyun almost choking on air from holding in her laughter when Nayeon falls on her butt.

Really, there’s never a dull moment when the four of them are involved.

\-----

Mina _cannot_ believe her good luck. First, the traffic jam on her way to her office building is pretty much nonexistent; second, there isn’t a line inside her favorite café when she drops by to get a cup of coffee; and third, she finds out during the meeting that the construction of her theater in South Korea has already been greenlit.

She even has to pinch herself during their break to check if she isn’t dreaming, because there’s no way all this could be real. But the stinging pain in her cheek tells her that she is, in fact, wide awake – and yes, that this really _is_ happening.

With how things are going so well, Mina wonders if she should start to be afraid of herself.

Except she has no time to, because she resumes the meeting right away so she could finish as soon as possible and be on time for her lunch date with Momo and Sana.

Normally, Mina is a logical person and likes to see things rationally; but this time around, she can’t help but think if her ungodly luck has something to do with the woman in her dreams.

And if she does…

Well, Mina guesses there are weirder, more inexplicable things that could happen.

In the end, she decides to simply accept things as they are and enjoy the way the heavens seem to favor her while it lasts.

After she ends the meeting and cheerfully bids everyone goodbye and to have a great day, Mina rushes towards the elevators and heads down to the basement, walking as fast as she can to her car. Before she pulls out of her parking slot, she shoots Sana a text that she’s on her way to the restaurant where they agreed to meet; whistling happily to herself and even singing along to the songs on the radio while she drives.

When she arrives at the restaurant, Momo and Sana are already sitting at their favorite spot, their faces breaking into huge grins the moment Mina steps inside.

“Mina!” Sana squeals, overjoyed, as she engulfs Mina in a hug.

Mina laughs and hugs Sana back with just as much enthusiasm. “You sound like we’ve been apart for so long,” she teases as she pulls back.

Sana juts out her lower lip into a cute, sulky pout and complains, “Well, our schedules are always so packed that we barely get to hang out.”

“Well, Sana wouldn’t be Sana if she weren’t this eager,” Momo comments with a laugh, much to Sana’s playful annoyance.

“Please.” Sana rolls her eyes at Momo. “Like you don’t like it when I jump into your arms after you come home after a business trip.”

“Maybe my bones don’t.”

“Excuse me!?” Sana gasps. “Why don’t you go to the hospital if it hurts that much, then?”

“Because you’d whine about me leaving you alone, duh,” Momo scoffs, rolling her eyes.

Already used to their bickering, Mina giggles and leaves them be. She finds it amusing how cute they are when they squabble, with Sana puffing out her cheeks while Momo says things that would push her buttons.

And if Mina were to describe their relationship, she would say with full confidence that Momo and Sana are soulmates.

“Alright, you two,” Mina interjects, smiling in amusement when Sana stops mid-retort to look at her. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m feeling kind of hungry.”

“Ah, right!” Sana nods to herself, as though she just remembered why they’re here. “Yes, lunch, of course.”

Mina bites back a laugh as she sits down, watching as Momo pulls out a chair for Sana before settling down in her own seat; but not before Sana sneaks a ‘thank you’ kiss right off her lips. They have the kind of relationship where others would no doubt be jealous of, but at the same time doesn’t make Mina feel like she’s nothing more than a third wheel when the three of them are together.

“So, how did your meeting go?” Momo asks her, after the waiter sets their orders on the table.

“It went well,” Mina answers, pausing to chew on her food. “You know that theater I’m planning to build in Seoul?” When Sana and Momo nod in unison, she grins and continues, “Well, the team I assigned to take care of it told me earlier that we can start the construction as soon as possible.”

“Whoa!” Momo’s eyes widen in awe. “That’s great news, Minari!”

“Yeah!” Sana agrees enthusiastically. “That’s going to be your first outside of here in Japan, right?”

“It is,” Mina says, her heart swelling at the genuine interest Momo and Sana show her. “It makes learning Korean even more worth it.”

“Speaking of, your flight to Korea is this evening, isn’t it?” Momo asks.

Mina nods. “Yup, but I plan on dropping by my parent’s house first before I head to the airport.”

“Oh, we’ll go with you, then!” Sana beams.

“It’s been a while since we last visited them, too,” Momo says.

“I’m sure they would love to see you, too,” Mina agrees. “They’re always cooing over how cute you guys are, actually.”

It turns out to be the wrong thing to say, because it causes Sana’s eyes to sparkle in a way that tells Mina that she got caught in her trap. _The Sana trap,_ as she and Momo like to call it.

“Now that we’re on the topic-“ Sana grins and waves her fork at Mina, “-when will you find someone to be cute with, Mitang?”

Unluckily for Mina, Momo also jumps in on the chance to tease her. “Maybe she’s waiting to crash into somebody.”

“Maybe she’ll bump into someone in Korea that’s her type!” Sana exclaims, face lighting up in glee as she claps her hands together.

Mina scoffs and rolls her eyes playfully. “Need I remind you guys that I’ll be going there for business?”

“Psh.” Sana waves a hand in dismissal. “As if anything that trivial can get in the way of love.”

Mina gives Momo a look. Momo shrugs.

Unbothered by the lack of a response, Sana winks at Mina, her tone cheerful as she says, “But don’t be shy and text us if you see someone cute, okay?”

Knowing that there’s no talking Sana out of this, Mina just makes a noncommittal noise at the back of her throat and continues eating her food.

_Crash into somebody._

With how ridiculous it is, Mina doesn’t even bother pointing out to Sana and Momo that it sounds very much like a jinx, especially considering the fact that she’s about to get into a plane in a few hours.

\-----

The thought is forgotten as they finish their lunch and convoy towards her parents’ house, driving past the large gate and parking their cars inside the spacious garage that’s now mostly empty following Mina and her brother’s decision to move out a few years ago. Mina feels a tinge of disappointment when she doesn’t see her brother’s car anywhere, but tries her best not to let it get to her as she walks with Momo and Sana towards the front door.

Before they can ring the doorbell, however, the mahogany doors swing open, revealing Mina’s mom who breaks into a bright smile at the sight of the three.

“And there are my three daughters!” Mina’s mom exclaims as she engulfs the Mina, Momo, and Sana into a wide embrace. Momo and Sana grin and hug her back, cheeks turning red when Mina’s mom pats their cheeks and beams at them. “Oh, it’s so good to see the three of you!” Mina’s mom coos, taking Momo and Sana’s hand. “And I see the two of you are doing great, that’s good,” she adds approvingly.

Sana smirks at Mina, who rolls her eyes in response. So, before her mom can start gushing over Momo and Sana’s relationship (again), Mina asks, “Where’s dad?”

“He’s in his study, dear, but he should be done with his meeting now,” Mina’s mom says. “Why don’t you go surprise him? I’ll go make some tea.”

“Oh, Momo and I will help you!” Sana offers.

“Well, how can I refuse?” Mina’s mom says with a laugh, launching into an animated conversation with Momo and Sana as they head towards the direction of the kitchen.

Mina then heads off in the opposite direction and down the hallway leading to her father’s study, stopping in front of the familiar oak door that once looked a lot bigger and imposing back when she was still barely five years old and had no clue about their family business.

She raises a fist and knocks on the door, and gets a muffled ‘come in’ from the other side in response. With a smile, Mina slips inside the study where she finds her dad sitting in front of his desk; a broad, welcoming grin breaking across his face as Mina approaches him.

“Ah, there’s my favorite daughter!” her dad says as he stands from his chair and hugs Mina.

Mina laughs and returns the embrace. “It’s good to see you, dad.”

Her dad pats her shoulder as they break away, and Mina sits on the cushioned chair in front of the desk while her dad settles back down in his own seat.

“So, how are you doing?” her dad asks warmly. “Anything new going on?”

“I’m doing great, and so is the company,” Mina says with a wide smile, then goes on to tell him about the good news she received from her meeting earlier. All the while, her dad listens with rapt attention; and by the time she finishes speaking, there’s an equally bright smile on his face while his eyes shine with pride.

Mina considers herself blessed that instead of being forced to take over the family business, her parents chose to support her decision to build her own company and make a name for herself along the way.

It wasn’t easy, of course, but her mom and dad’s sincere and tireless encouragements and much-needed advice helped ease the pressure and weight off her shoulders throughout the years.

“I’m happy for you, Mina,” her dad says, his smile affectionate and warm. “I know we’ve said this a lot, but your mom and I are proud of who you are and we always will be.”

Mina swears her heart grows at least twice its size then, but at the same time, she wishes she could hear it from one other person.

“Has _onii-chan_ come to visit lately?” Mina dares to ask, even though she already knows the answer when her dad’s smile falters at the question.

With a heavy sigh and a sad look clouding his expression, her dad shakes his head and softly says, “Not in almost a month, no.”

Biting down on her lower lip, Mina casts her gaze downwards, unsure why she expected any different and let her hopes up for a moment. “Oh…”

“He’ll come around soon,” her dad murmurs in reassurance.

Mina just nods, her heart sinking as she falls silent.

The gloomy atmosphere is broken moments later when Momo, Sana, and her mom appear with a tray of tea and a few snacks, which they eat and drink while they talk animatedly. After a while, Mina checks her watch, her voice laced with regret as she says, “Mom, dad, I’ll be going ahead. I’m sorry I can’t stay longer…”

“That’s okay, dear.” Mina’s mom clasps her hand and pats it in reassurance. “Be careful on your way to the airport and have a safe flight!”

“Your mom and I will see you soon,” her dad says as he places his hands on Mina’s shoulder. “Have a good trip and don’t worry about us, okay?”

“I will,” Mina says with a smile as she hugs her mom and dad. “I’ll come see you two again when I get back.”

“We’ll get her safe to the airport,” Momo promises.

“Ready to go, Minari?” Sana asks Mina.

Mina fights off the urge to check her phone for a text she knows wouldn’t be there and instead nods. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

After saying their final goodbyes, the three of them leave the mansion in Momo’s car, Mina staring out the window as Momo drives down the driveway and out the gates. For some unknown reason, a strange feeling knots Mina’s stomach as she watches the gates become smaller and smaller until they disappear from view, but she writes it off as nothing more than the disappointment she felt earlier.

\-----

“Take care over there, okay?” Sana says as she crushes Mina into a hug.

“Don’t focus on work too much and live a little,” Momo reminds her, a teasing glint in her eye. Mina rolls her eyes playfully. “And give us a call when you land.”

Sana grins in that way that makes Mina want to groan. “And don’t forget to update us if you meet someone cute.”

This time, Mina does groan, her cheeks turning red as she huffs, “I won’t, because there won’t be anyone to update you two idiots about.”

“That’s what everyone always says,” is Sana’s simple, sweet response.

“Ugh. Alright, I’m leaving now before I miss my flight because of you,” Mina grumbles.

“No, you won’t, because you’ll be using your family’s private jet,” Momo points out smartly, while Mina chooses to ignore her.

“Okay, I’m really going now,” Mina says. “Thanks again for driving me here, and take care on your way home, alright?”

She then gives them another hug each before she turns around and walks away, unfazed by the wide-eyed stares and awed whispers that follow her as she wheels her luggage along and towards the gate where her family’s private jet is waiting for her.

By the time she settles into her seat, Mina breathes out a sigh of relief and stretches out her legs, grateful for the privacy that she can enjoy for at least a few hours before she lands. The hum of the engine as the plane takes off and soars through the darkened skies lulls Mina into closing her eyes until she falls asleep.

Instead of dreaming, however, a distant memory surfaces from the deepest recesses of her mind.

\-----

_“Minari!” The sound of Sana’s voice calling out to her snaps Mina out of her daze as she stares at her surroundings with a wide-eyed kind of wonder, the reality that she’s_ actually _standing here – in Switzerland’s largest, busiest airport – not sinking in quite yet. “Our carousel is over there.”_

_Mina turns around to where Sana and Momo wave her over with their passports in hand, murmuring her apologies as she squeezes past the people who have also arrived from their respective flights and towards the pair._

_It seems like she isn’t the only one whose friends are looking out for, however, as she hears another girl call out, “Dubu! We’re over here!”_

_Mina has no time to dwell on how strange ‘Dubu’ sounds like as a name – or maybe it’s a nickname? – because she suddenly feels someone bump into her._

_“Ah, sorry,” a girl says apologetically in what Mina recognizes as a thick Korean accent._

_“It’s okay,” Mina says in English, smiling politely at the girl._

_The girl smiles back and does a slight bow before walking past Mina and weaves her way past the crowd to where her friends are waiting for her. Mina chuckles to herself at how polite the girl is, then makes her way towards where Momo and Sana are._

\-----

Not long after, Mina is jostled away by a buzzing sensation, which takes her a good few seconds to recognize is due to the plane itself is trembling. Thinking it to be merely a slight turbulence, Mina attempts to close her eyes again, except the shaking grows more and more violent by the second.

It’s then that the panic begins to settle in, and in what feels like both a short and long span of time, the plane descends at a rapid pace, and the one thing that rings inside Mina’s head are the words ‘emergency landing’ over and over again like an endless loop.

Mina knew the continuous string of good events that happened to her was too good to be true, but being involved in a plane accident was _not_ on her list of things that could go wrong this day.

And when the plane lurches and the cold sting of the ocean pierces through her skin right down to her bones, Mina finds herself utterly helpless and unable to do anything except let the strong currents carry her away to God knows where.

After what feels like forever from battling the waves, Mina finds herself washed ashore, her lungs full of water and her limbs weakened as she struggles to crawl forward. With harsh coughs, she fights hard to keep her eyes open, violent shivers wracking her frame as she tries to move despite the heaviness weighing her down.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Mina tries her utmost hardest to prevent the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes from falling; her heart stuttering and throat closing up as the faces of Momo, Sana, her parents, and her brother flash right before her very eyes.

Then, the comforting, crooked grin that’s always in her dreams.

And even though it takes up almost all of her remaining strength, Mina opens her eyes, and manages to make out a pair of boots heading her way; and, reaching out her hand in front of her and with a hoarse voice and a mouth full of sand, she whispers:

“Help… me…”

Then her hand falls limp and her world fades into black.


	2. come to me like destiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the wait, and here's chapter two! :D
> 
> Chapter inspired by and the title taken from "But it's Destiny" by 10cm

It’s late by the time Dahyun leaves Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung, and Nayeon’s house; the three of them having insisted that she stay for a while longer after they finished eating dinner – a while longer being almost two hours more. And after another long day of keeping careful watch over the village’s borders and going around helping the villagers with whatever they might need, Dahyun has to admit she needed the company instead of drowning in her own thoughts four hours on end.

With the lights out and the entire village now asleep, Dahyun points her flashlight at the ground as she walks alone, the crunching of the pavement underneath her feet echoing loud and clear in the darkness of the night. A cool breeze then whips past her face, and, out of instinct, Dahyun snaps her head towards the direction of the beach.

All of a sudden, she has this nagging feeling at the back of her head telling her that she should go there. Dahyun frowns and decides to ignore it, because it’s already late at night and there’s no logical reason as to why she should go.

Except, it continues to bug her until she couldn’t take it anymore. Heaving out a sigh, Dahyun scratches at the back of her neck and goes down the path leading away from the village and into the beach, waving her flashlight around in search of anything that might appear strange.

Other than the small fishing boats docked on one end, Dahyun doesn’t notice anything off, until the faint beam of her flashlight catches a lock of what looks like long, dark hair. She blinks, wondering if her eyes are just playing tricks on her or if she actually saw someone lying on the sand.

But then she moves her flashlight a little more to the left, and sure enough, there’s a lone figure lying face flat on the sand; hand outstretched in front of them, and their face hidden underneath their sand-dusted hair.

Dahyun sucks in a breath, then approaches the lone figure with slow, cautious steps. She darts her eyes about the surrounding area in case there might be another person lurking about and hiding in the shadows, her shoulders relaxing a little when she finds no one else.

Still, she’s careful not to let her guard down completely, even when the figure doesn’t so much as stir as Dahyun gets closer and closer.

“Hello?” Dahyun calls out, wary, when she’s no more than a few feet away.

No response. Dahyun exhales.

Upon closer inspection, Dahyun realizes that the mystery person is a woman, dressed in what she’s sure must be designer’s clothes though the blouse is hidden underneath a life vest.

Dahyun’s frown deepens. A life vest could only mean…

She looks out into the sea in search of signs of a wreckage, but it’s much too dark for her to be able to see anything other than the dark waters and the crashing of the waves against the shore. Maybe she’ll try again in the morning, or she could ask the mystery woman for answers when she’s in the right state of mind – whichever one comes first.

Well, that’s assuming the woman is alive in the first place.

Crouching down beside the unconscious stranger, Dahyun sets her flashlight down and reaches for the woman’s wrist, breathing out a sigh of relief when she feels a pulse against her fingertips. It’s faint, but it’s there, which then leads Dahyun to check for injuries.

As far as she can tell, there are minor scrapes and a few bruises, but Dahyun doesn’t want to take any chances in case there’s might be something worse that she couldn’t see.

“Hey…” Dahyun murmurs, giving the woman’s shoulder a light tap.

This time, Dahyun gets a response in the form of a small moan of discomfort and a tiny twitch of the fingers. At the very least, the stranger doesn’t look or sound like she’s in excruciating pain, which Dahyun takes as a good sign.

It doesn’t occur to Dahyun that the woman might be a foreigner until her eyelids start to flutter open, and now that Dahyun is able to get a close look at her face, she’s able to recognize that the woman isn’t Korean judging by her features.

Ah, damn.

This is going to make things a lot more complicated then.

Still, Dahyun decides to try her luck in hopes that the stranger can understand at least a little bit of Korean.

“Can you understand me?” Dahyun asks slowly, both surprised and relieved when the woman gives a small nod.

To her bigger surprise, however, the woman whispers in a barely audible voice, “I can speak Korean…”

Dahyun breathes out another sigh of relief, grateful that she won’t have trouble communicating with her. But as much as she needs answers, she doesn’t want to put additional stress on the stranger when she’s clearly confused and anxious enough as it is.

Though for some unknown reason, Dahyun feels a strange pull towards this complete stranger, and the feeling only intensifies when glazed eyes lock onto hers for a beat longer than necessary. In the end, Dahyun decies to write it off as nothing more than her sense of duty to protect anyone in need of help.

It was what her father taught her before she enlisted in the army, after all, and it’s one teaching that Dahyun makes sure to take to heart every day.

“But w-where am I? Who are you?” there’s a quiver of fear in the woman’s voice, and Dahyun raises her hands to show she means no harm.

“We’re in a remote village in South Korea, and I’m one of the soldiers assigned here.”

The woman’s eyes flicker to her uniform, trepidation evident in her expression as she sits up and backs away.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Dahyun promises, hands still raised, though she makes sure to maintain her distance just in case. “But you need to tell me where you came from and how you got here so I can help you.”

“I’m from J-Japan,” the woman stammers. Dahyun nods. “I- I was on a private jet on a flight to Seoul, but there was a strong turbulence and- and the plane c-crashed.”

Dahyun fights back a grimace. Seoul is a long way off from where they are, and it would be difficult to find a way to get there as soon as possible.

“Okay…” Dahyun says instead. “Were you the only passenger?”

“Y-yes.”

Then, sensing the next question, Dahyun apologetically says, “You’re the only one I found here, so I’m afraid I don’t know what happened to your pilot and co-pilot.”

The woman visibly deflates at the news, making Dahyun feel a twinge of sympathy for her.

“I- I don’t-“ the woman draws her chin to her knees, looking helpless as she gnaws on her lower lip. “What do I do?”

“My name is Kim Dahyun,” Dahyun says, extending her hand forward. The woman glances at her outstretched hand, hesitating for a moment before she takes it. Her hand is cold, Dahyun notes; and for some inexplicable reason, Dahyun has this bizarre feeling that this might not be the first time they’ve met the moment their fingers brush.

But Dahyun pushes the thought down and continues, “You can call me Dahyun. For now, you can stay at my place and get some rest for the night.”

The woman gives a slow, tentative nod, her voice barely a whisper as she says, “My name is Myoui Mina… Mina is just fine.”

“Okay.” Dahyun exhales, then gently asks, “Can you stand, Mina?”

Mina nods again and starts to stand on wobbly knees while grasping Dahyun’s hand, only to falter at the last moment and fall forward into Dahyun. The sudden impact catches Dahyun off guard, her entire body stiffening as Mina slumps against her.

For a second, Dahyun is afraid that Mina might have fallen unconscious again.

“S-sorry,” Mina stutters, flustered and shivering from the cold and her soaked clothes, and Dahyun sighs in relief again.

Good. Because she wouldn’t know what she would do if she had to drag an unconscious body along with her.

“Here, just wrap your arm around my shoulder,” Dahyun murmurs, guiding Mina’s arm into place as she snakes her own arm around Mina’s waist.

Then, with her left hand, Dahyun grips the flashlight and uses the beam of light to guide their way through the dark. Save for Mina’s strained breaths and the padding of their feet against the sand, everything else is quiet – the silvery glow of the moon and the faint twinkling of the stars aiding Dahyun as she leads guides Mina forward inch by slow inch.

Dahyun wonders how she went from going about her everyday routine to finding a stranger far from her home in Japan washed ashore on the beach, and now all but dragging said stranger towards her house. Then again, Dahyun already knows her name and where she’s from, so she guesses Mina isn’t a _complete_ stranger.

Neither of them says a word until they arrive at the pathway leading to Dahyun’s house.

“We’re here,” Dahyun says.

Against her, Mina shivers and nods, and Dahyun helps her up the steps and into the house where she guides Mina to sit on the chair by the dinner table.

“Wait here…” Dahyun mumbles.

“O-okay…” Mina croaks out, hunching forward in a desperate attempt to keep warm.

Dahyun turns on the lights, then retreats into her room to grab a towel and a fresh set of oversized clothes before moving back into the kitchen.

It’s a strange feeling, having someone else in her house when she’s been living alone for quite a while. And now that the reality of the situation has sunk in, Dahyun finally realizes the implications of her decision and what they would entail; but as she looks at the shivering figure in front of her, she knows she can’t back out.

Call her crazy for taking in an unknown woman, but Dahyun would be crazier and irresponsible if she let Mina be on that beach.

“Here, dry clothes,” Dahyun offers in a low murmur so as not to startle Mina.

“T-thank you,” Mina says through a shudder as she takes the towel and clothes from Dahyun’s outstretched hand.

“The bathroom is over there,” Dahyun says, pointing to the door at one end of the room. “Feel free to use it and don’t hesitate to call for me if there’s anything else you need.”

“Okay…” Mina nods, thanking Dahyun again before she slips inside the bathroom.

Dahyun releases a slow, steadying breath, then takes off her jacket and leaves it to dry. She then mops the small puddles of water on the floor, the sound of running water coming from the bathroom echoing in the silence.

After she finishes mopping the floor, Dahyun takes out a mug and a tea bag from the cupboard, then boils water in the kettle. She watches the shadows dance across the wall while she waits, thinking of how she’s going to explain all this tomorrow to Jeongyeon, Nayeon, and Chaeyoung.

Then, before she realizes it, she’s slipping into a distant memory.

\-----

_The girl standing in line next to hers steps forward at the same time Dahyun does, and despite the low buzz of the multiple conversations happening around the café, Dahyun still manages to hear the girl’s sweet, soft voice as she places her order._

_“I’d like one jasmine tea, please…”_

_Curious and spellbound by the angelic voice, Dahyun sneaks a glance at the girl after she places her own order of hot chocolate, her breath catching in her throat when she catches a glimpse of an equally soft and heartachingly beautiful smile from the side._

_Dahyun almost has to shake herself off from her trance, but the clinking of the coins as the cashier hands out her change beats her to it._

\-----

The whistling of the kettle then snaps Dahyun out of her daze and sends her back to the present. She turns down the gas until the flames die out and takes the kettle from the stove, then drops the tea bag into the mug before pouring out the hot water. Just as she finishes doing so, the bathroom door creaks open, and Dahyun turns her head to glance at the emerging figure.

Because of the darkness outside earlier, Dahyun wasn’t able to take a good look at Mina’s face; but with the lights turned on and the brightness that surrounds the kitchen, Dahyun could see that there’s a faint blush dusting Mina’s cheeks as she takes a tentative step forward and closes the door behind her.

Dahyun blinks.

Now that Mina’s face is rid of the dirt and sand and Dahyun is able to take a better look at her features, there’s no denying the softness that rounds out her cheeks, the gentle flutter of her eyelashes, and her wide, brown eyes that has Dahyun thinking of one word alone to describe her:

_Beautiful._

“Uhm…” Mina stands awkwardly by the bathroom door, her clothes hugged to her chest while she scuffs her feet against the floor. Dahyun swallows, unsure what she should say or do next.

Come to think of it, what _does_ one say to someone they found unconscious on the beach out of the blue?

Damn. She clearly did not think things through.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” is what tumbles out of Dahyun’s mouth instead, much to the surprise of a wide-eyed Mina. Dahyun pushes her tongue against the inside of her cheek. “I mean, I have a first aid kit if you need it,” she clarifies.

“I- no, I think I’ll be fine…” Mina says, voice still soft. Dahyun nods, wondering if she’s naturally soft-spoken.

“Here’s some tea, by the way,” Dahyun says, lifting the mug in her hand. Then, in an attempt to lighten the awkward atmosphere, she jokes, “Don’t worry, I didn’t use ocean water.”

Lame, she knows, but it makes Mina crack a smile and giggle a little.

“Thank you…” Mina carefully takes the mug from Dahyun’s hand and takes a small sip. She lets out a quiet hum of satisfaction. “Is this jasmine tea?”

Dahyun smiles and nods. “Yeah, it is.”

Mina smiles and takes another sip, seemingly happy, then sets the mug down on the table. Dahyun shifts her weight onto her other leg. Despite the bizarreness of the situation and the fact that they’re complete strangers to each other, Dahyun breathes out a chuckle at the sight and relaxes her stance.

Myoui Mina, huh. Dahyun finds herself being curious as to how Mina is fluent in their language. There’s barely any trace of an accent when she speaks, too, which is impressive.

Still, as much as Dahyun wants to ask, the drooping of Mina’s eyelids is enough to stop any questions from spilling out of her. She decides there’ll be more time for that tomorrow, when Mina is less disoriented and doesn’t look like she’s on the verge of passing out any second.

Without saying a word, Dahyun takes the now empty mug and places it in the sink, then turns to face Mina who looks at her through glassy eyes.

“Follow me,” Dahyun says, standing close to Mina in case she stumbles. She leads Mina to her bedroom and points at the bed. “You can sleep there. I’m sure you have plenty of other questions, but I promise I’ll answer them tomorrow.”

Mina glances hesitantly at the bed, then at Dahyun. “What about you?”

Dahyun pulls out a roll-up mattress from one corner of the room and shows it to Mina. “I’ll sleep on this,” she says with a smile.

“Are you- are you sure?” Mina asks, uncertain.

“I’m sure,” Dahyun reassures her. “Don’t worry about me.”

Mina worries her lower lip, but eventually relents and crawls into Dahyun’s bed while Dahyun lays out the mattress on the floor. After grabbing an extra pillow and a spare blanket from her cabinet, Dahyun turns off the lights and throws the blanket over herself as she lies down on the mattress, a quiet ‘thank you’ from Mina the last thing that Dahyun registers as she closes her eyes and drifts off.

\-----

“Mi-tang still hasn’t texted yet,” Sana says with a concerned frown as she checks her phone for what must be the hundredth time that night. “Shouldn’t she have arrived in Korea by now?”

“That’s really weird,” Momo mumbles in agreement, her eyebrows drawn together in worry. “She never forgets to text or call us when she lands from her flight…”

“Do you think her phone ran out of batteries?” Sana muses, though her worry is still evident in her voice.

“I hope that’s it…” Momo says, holding Sana close to rub her shoulder to try and placate her despite the growing apprehension that tightens her chest. “Let’s try and wait for a bit longer, and if we still haven’t heard from her, then we’ll contact her family’s staff that’s involved with their private jet.”

“Okay…” Sana nods and rests her head against Momo’s chest. “I hope nothing bad happened to her…”

Hugging Sana tighter, Momo tucks her chin above her head and squeezes Sana’s waist. “I hope so, too…”

\-----

Mina stirs from her sleep the next morning to the sound of the sizzling of a pan, feeling refreshed and well-rested after the nightmare she went through the previous night. Even then, it takes a few good moments for her to realize that the bed she’s in is far smaller than hers and that she’s wearing a faded, oversized shirt and a pair of sweatpants that aren’t her own.

Everything that happened to her in the past few hours comes crashing in then – the rapid descent of the plane into the ocean; the sheer terror that seized her entire body as the waves carried her away; the grittiness of the sand against her skin and the roof of her mouth as she was miraculously swept into shore…

And then, the delicate taste of the jasmine tea that vaguely reminds her of the one she had at that small café in Switzerland years ago.

But more than that, the quiet and reassuring, yet seemingly guarded gaze that Mina finds herself being curious about.

Kim Dahyun…

She doesn’t know what it is, but there’s something about Dahyun that tells Mina that she doesn’t need to be afraid of her. Maybe it’s the fact that Dahyun was kind enough not to bombard her with questions, even though she must have wanted to after Mina regained consciousness; or maybe it was the slight twitch of her lips when she cracked a joke and chuckled.

Rubbing the bleariness away from the back of her eyelids, Mina rolls over onto her side and perches herself on the edge of the bed, letting her eyes roam across the room and take in the white-painted walls and the rays of golden sunlight that peeks through the windows, bathing the room in warmth. With a soft hum, Mina hops off the bed, then puts on the pair of slippers Dahyun must have left for her.

She takes the blanket by its frayed edges and folds it neatly, then places it on top of the pillow before she leaves the bedroom. The heavenly scent of fried eggs wafting in the air greets her the moment she opens the door, and Mina finds herself following the smell until she reaches the kitchen.

There, she finds Dahyun standing by the stove, already dressed in a white undershirt and a pair of fatigue pants while she cooks. Mina glances down, feeling her cheeks start to warm when she remembers that she’s wearing Dahyun’s clothes.

Dahyun chooses that moment to turn around, a soft grin toying at the corners of her mouth when she spots Mina. “Hey, you’re awake.”

Mina tugs on the hem of her (Dahyun’s) shirt and smiles. “I- yeah…”

“Did you sleep well?”

“I did. What about you?”

Dahyun transfers the eggs from the pan into a plate before cracking another two open. “Yeah, I got a good night’s sleep, too.”

Something about the way Dahyun says it gives Mina the sense that it isn’t normally the case, but she doesn’t want to come across as nosy or assuming given that they’ve just met, so she decides not to ask.

“How do you like your eggs cooked, by the way?” Dahyun asks, back still turned.

“Uhm, on the well-cooked side.”

“Got it.”

Silence falls between them again, and Mina sits down by the table as she quietly regards Dahyun. In all her years of being a businesswoman, the people she deals with fall into either one of two types: first, the one who tends to overshare about personal matters and brag about their accomplishments; and second, the kind who is content to simply listen and doesn’t feel the need shoot their mouth off.

When Dahyun doesn’t say another word, Mina is left with a distinct impression that she might be the latter.

But now that she’s thinking of business partners…

Fear grips at Mina as she recalls the meeting about expanding her business in Seoul that she was supposed to attend _today_ – and she doesn’t even know where exactly she is or if there’s a way for her to get to Seoul as soon as possible.

“Here you go.”

Dahyun’s voice startles Mina out of her thoughts, her gaze dropping to the eggs and toast sitting on the plate in front of her.

“Is there any way I can get to Seoul soon?” Mina asks as Dahyun sits across her.

Any hopes she might have had are dashed when Dahyun frowns.

“How soon are we talking about?” Dahyun asks carefully, as though she’s about to break a piece of bad news.

Mina chews on her lower lip. “I was thinking tomorrow, or within two days at most.”

Dahyun hesitates, frown deepening. “I’m afraid that isn’t possible. We’re careful not to let anyone in or out of the village for everyone’s safety.”

“Safety?” Mina feels her heart rate start to pick up. Just what kind of mess did she get herself into? “W-what are you talking about?”

Setting down her fork, Dahyun presses her lips into a thin line, expression turning grim all of a sudden. “This village… it was attacked a few months back, and the reason why we were stationed here is so we could help the villagers and keep watch at the same time.”

“Attacked?” Mina repeats weakly. “I- is there really no way?”

Try as she might, Mina is unable to contain the panic and desperation in her voice. She can’t sit still and wait - not when her parents, Momo, and Sana have no idea where she is or what happened to her. Worst comes to worst, they might even start to think that she’s-

Mina shuts down the thought before she spirals out of control.

Dahyun opens her mouth to speak, but three solid raps against the door and a cheery, “Good morning, Captain!” interrupts her.

Mina’s initial worries turn into surprise. Dahyun is a captain?

“Sorry, let me just get that,” Dahyun apologizes.

Mina nods and watches Dahyun leave the kitchen before turning her attention back to her plate. Then, just as she takes a bite of her toast, she hears someone say, “Hey, cap! We’re not interrupting, are we?”

Mina blinks. If she’s not mistaken, the voice sounds like it belongs to a girl.

Unbeknownst to her, however, Dahyun makes sure to block the entryway as much as she can so that her visitors won’t be able to peek inside.

“Nayeon, what are you doing here?” Dahyun asks in a stern voice.

“Oh, I thought we’d drop by and have breakfast here for a change of pace,” the other girl says, unfazed by Dahyun’s strange behavior.

“Well, you can’t. I’m busy right now,” Dahyun says.

“Busy? Busy with what?” it’s another person this time.

Dahyun groans. “Look, I’m already having breakfast, so there’s no point in having the three of you here.”

A third person then cuts in, “Aww, don’t be like that, cap! Aren’t you lonely eating by yourself?”

“I- wha- hey!” Dahyun cries out in protest as Nayeon pushes past her and marches towards the kitchen.

Mina turns her head towards the sound of approaching footsteps, only to be met with the sight of three other women frozen in place as she locks eyes with them; their jaws dropping comically at the sight of Mina.

Mina feels like a deer caught in headlights with three new people staring at her, her fork slipping out of her grasp in her shock and clatters against the plate as it falls down.

“What on-“ the shortest girl out of the three looks at Mina like she just saw a ghost.

The tallest of the three – a girl with short hair – stares at Mina with eyes wide as saucers. “Captain, what the- who is this!?”

“You’re hiding a girl in your house!?” the last one shrieks, snapping her head towards Dahyun so fast Mina swears she experiences whiplash. “Since when!? What the hell is going on!?”

“Shut up!” Dahyun hisses, sheer panic written all over her face as she glances at the closed door. “The villagers might hear you!”

It’s clear that her presence got Dahyun caught in a crossfire, and one Mina is pretty sure might be hard to get out of, given the reactions of the three. When the girl who shrieked tries to talk again, Dahyun immediately shoots her with a glare, which causes her to shrink and clamp her mouth shut.

“Uh… care to explain, captain?” the tallest one asks, her eyes shining with curiosity as she glances back and forth between Mina and Dahyun.

Dahyun heaves out a sigh and rubs at her forehead, then glances at Mina, her eyes seeking a silent permission. Despite her fears and uncertainties over her current situation, Mina finds herself appreciating the gesture.

She nods her assent, and Dahyun starts to talk.

“This,” Dahyun starts, gesturing to Mina, “is Mina. I found her on the beach last night, after we had dinner.”

“The beach?” the shortest girl knots her eyebrows.

“Uhm… yes,” Mina speaks up, deciding it would be unfair to put all the burden on Dahyun. “Your captain already knows what happened to me, but I- I got into a plane accident and that’s how I ended up here.”

“A plane accident?” the girl who shrieked repeats and looks around the house.

“I was the only passenger,” Mina answers the unasked question, though her stomach twists into knots at the thought of what could have happened to the pilot.

“Mina was the only one I found on the beach,” Dahyun says, her eyes flickering towards Mina.

Despite her fears and uncertainties over her current situation, a feeling of security crashes over Mina at the way Dahyun chooses to refer to her by name. She wonders if Dahyun has always had that effect on others; and if it’s also why the three seem to take her word for it without question.

As for herself… Momo and Sana are the two people other than her parents with whom Mina shares that mutual trust. The two people she considers her own sisters and siblings and can call them as such without feeling like a part of her is breaking.

“Anyway,” Dahyun starts, as if to stop the onslaught of questions that are about to come, which Mina is grateful for. “Mina-“ the warm sensation crashes back in, bringing a slight smile to Mina’s face, “-meet Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung, Jeongyeon, Nayeon, meet Mina.”

Nayeon flashes a broad grin, showing Mina a glimpse of bunny teeth. “Nice to meet you, Mina.”

“You didn’t even ask if it was okay to call her that,” Jeongyeon snorts.

“Well, that’s how our captain calls her,” Nayeon retorts. Dahyun clears her throat and gives her a pointed look. Nayeon flashes her a sweet smile and discreetly steps on Jeongyeon’s foot, which earns her a death glare from Jeongyeon.

“It’s okay,” Mina says in reassurance. “You can call me Mina.”

Nayeon sticks her tongue out at Jeongyeon, causing Dahyun to sigh and shake her head. It’s more out of concealed fondness than actual exasperation, though, Mina notices.

Chaeyoung waves at Mina with a bright smile. “Nice to meet you, Mina.”

Mina smiles back and answers, “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“By the way, my food is cold now thanks to you three,” Dahyun grumbles.

To Dahyun, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung’s alarm, Nayeon beams and happily volunteers, “I’ll help cook some more food, then!”

“Oh hell, no!” Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon exclaim in unison.

Nayeon deflates and pouts. “Why not?”

“’Why not’?” Jeongyeon shakes her head in disbelief. “You’re seriously asking us that?”

“After you almost burned down the kitchen when we were recruits?” Dahyun reminds Nayeon in an incredulous tone. “No, thanks. We can’t have the whole village burning down because of you.”

“Yeah, it would be embarrassing to have to explain that our captain’s house burned down because of your failed cooking,” Chaeyoung adds unhelpfully.

Even though Mina just met the three of them, she can’t help but giggle at their cute bickering. It’s Dahyun’s attention she catches first, and if Mina isn’t mistaken, she sees a smile twitch at the corner Dahyun’s lips for a fleeting moment right there and then.

“Anyway, Jeongyeon and I will do the cooking,” Dahyun directs at Nayeon.

“And no touching any knives, either,” Jeongyeon chimes in.

Chaeyoung snickers at the offended look Nayeon throws at Jeongyeon.

“She cut strawberries with the wrong end of the knife once,” Chaeyoung explains to Mina. “Jeongyeon got annoyed and told her it was such a waste of perfectly good strawberries.”

Nayeon glares at Chaeyoung and huffs, “I heard that!”

Unfazed, Chaeyoung shrugs and simply says, “It’s true, though.”

“We never let her anywhere near a knife since then,” Dahyun adds with a grin.

Mina feels her breath catch in her throat at the sight. She could almost swear that it looks… _familiar,_ somehow - like she’s seen it countless of times before, but can’t remember from _where_ exactly.

The sensation lingers as the five of them sit around the table and eat their breakfast; and while Mina feels awkward at first being surrounded by three new people, it quickly fades away when Jeongyeon, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Nayeon make sure to include her in their conversation.

“So uhm, where are you from, Mina?” Jeongyeon asks Mina.

“Japan,” Mina and Dahyun answer at the same time.

Jeongyeon gives Dahyun a funny look. Dahyun coughs and looks away, though Mina is fairly sure she catches a glimpse of reddened cheeks.

Mina bites down on her inner cheek to suppress a smile.

“Your Korean is really good, though,” Chaeyoung says, eyes wide in awe.

“Yeah, I don’t even hear an accent,” Nayeon adds, impressed.

“Thanks,” Mina says with a light laugh. “I’ve had a lot of practice these past few years.”

Jeongyeon whistles. “Wow, no wonder.”

“So, you’ve been here to Korea many times before?” Chaeyoung asks.

“Yes, for uhm… for business matters, mostly,” Mina answers.

“Wait.” Nayeon furrows her eyebrows together. “Then that means-“

“Yeah,” Dahyun answers for Mina. “I have to find a way to get Mina to Seoul as soon as possible. But…”

“…there’s no way to do it by land,” Jeongyeon finishes with a frown. “The only vehicle we have is the army truck, but none of us can leave our station or we’ll be in big trouble.”

“We can still do it by water,” Chaeyoung chimes in.

Mina feels a faint glimmer of hope upon hearing that. “By water?” she asks curiously.

“Yeah,” Nayeon says with a nod. “A small boat comes by every week to barter with the villagers, so I think that would be our safest bet.”

“When does it come back?” Mina asks.

“In four days, if I’m not mistaken,” Dahyun answers with a small grimace. Mina’s heart sinks again.

There’s a lot that can happen in four days: from potential business dealings slipping out of her grasp; her company’s stocks taking a huge dip once news of her disappearance breaks out…

Everything she’s ever worked for over the past how many years would come crashing down in a matter of _days,_ and she won’t even be able to stop it from happening.

Then there’s Momo, Sana, and her parents…

Oh God.

Her despair must show on her face, because Dahyun’s expression softens into one of sympathy and regret.

“I’m sorry…” Dahyun murmurs, regret shadowing her face. “I know it isn’t what you wanted to hear…”

Mina knows it’s a moot point to push the matter any further, not to mention incredibly selfish when Dahyun has already been so kind to her; so, she just bites her lip and nods in resignation.

“Okay…” Mina whispers.

“But hey! Captain always delivers on her promises, so she’ll definitely get you to where you need to be as soon as possible,” Chaeyoung blurts out.

“Yeah!” Nayeon exclaims with a vigorous nod of the head. “She’s the most reliable captain around so you’re in good hands.”

Jeongyeon grins and slings an arm around Dahyun’s shoulder, then brags, “Damn right she is! Because there’s no need to fear-“

“-when Captain Kim Dahyun is here!” Nayeon and Chaeyoung exclaim in unison as they slam their fists against the table.

Dahyun groans and buries her face into her hands. “Don’t you three ever get embarrassed doing that!?” she huffs.

“Nope,” Jeongyeon pops out. “I mean, why would we be embarrassed when we’re just speaking the truth?”

“Damn straight!” Chaeyoung whoops, much to Dahyun’s growing embarrassment.

Mina covers her mouth with her hand to muffle the round of giggles that burst out of her. With the way they’re able to joke around so easily, the four of them look more like a ragtag group of friends than just a captain and her troops.

It’s a dynamic Mina finds to be cute and heartwarming at the same time.

Dahyun rolls her eyes and shoves Jeongyeon’s arm away, then says, “Okay, enough horsing around and let’s clean up so we can get going.”

After washing the dishes, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung cheerfully tell Mina that they’ll see her later before leaving the house.

“I’m sorry I can’t stick around,” Dahyun apologizes as she puts on her jacket. “But I already heated up some water so you can go ahead and take a bath.”

“Uhm, would I need to stay in here?”

“It would be safer if you did, especially since the four of us are the only ones so far who know about you.”

“Is there any way I can contact you…? In case there’s an emergency?”

“There’s no cell reception here, but you can use this,” Dahyun says as she hands Mina what appears to be a two-way radio. Mina notices that it’s a bit worn-down with a few scratches and small dents, making her curious. “My code name is Eagle, but we’ll need one for you, too.”

Mina mulls it over for a while, then mumbles, “Penguin.”

“Sorry?”

“Penguin,” Mina repeats, feeling her cheeks start to warm at how childish it must sound. “That’s uhm, that’s what I’ll use.”

Thankfully, Dahyun doesn’t laugh or make fun of her and instead smiles. “Okay. Penguin it is. Here’s how you use it, by the way…” Dahyun then teaches her how to use the radio, and after she finishes, she takes out the one she has and says, “Let’s try it out, just to be sure.”

Mina nods and speaks into the radio, _“Penguin to Eagle. Good morning.”_

Her voice crackles from Dahyun’s radio, and with a soft chuckle, Dahyun answers, _“Eagle to Penguin. Good morning to you, too. Over.”_ Dahyun then clips her radio onto her pants and glances at Mina. “Well, I’ll go ahead now. But don’t hesitate to make yourself at home, and feel free to read any of the books on my shelf if you want.”

“Okay. Thank you Dahyun…”

“You’re welcome. Then, I’ll see you later, Mina.”

“See you later, Dahyun. Take care.”

Dahyun flashes her a smile. “You, too.”

When Dahyun leaves and closes the door behind her, Mina tries hard not to think of the comforting warmth that lie underneath Dahyun’s guarded eyes.

\-----

“Hang on, you really let her borrow that radio?” Jeongyeon whispers to Dahyun with furrowed eyebrows. “Are you sure it’s okay? Isn’t that-“

_Important to you?_

Yes, it is, but Dahyun doesn’t want to go there right now.

“It’s fine,” Dahyun says with a shrug, before Jeongyeon can finish her question. “I’m just letting her borrow it for the time being. Besides, it’s so she could contact me if there’s an emergency.”

As though sensing that Dahyun doesn’t want to talk about it any further, Jeongyeon decides to drop the matter altogether.

“Hey cap, how much do you know about Mina, anyway?” Nayeon asks, propping her elbow against the handle of the shovel.

“Other than what we all heard earlier? Nothing else,” Dahyun admits. “I mean, we haven’t really talked much.”

“Huh,” Chaeyoung muses. “Well, she’s going to be staying with you for the next four days, so there’ll be more chances for you to talk, right?”

“Oooh! Maybe Mina would get you to spill your secrets,” Nayeon chimes in eagerly.

Dahyun rolls her eyes and scoffs. “I don’t keep or have secrets,” she denies. “And you do realize you sound like you’re fishing for gossip, right?”

“Yeah, you just don’t talk about yourself much,” Jeongyeon points out with a snort.

“What are you going to talk to Mina about, then? It isn’t like you can give her the silent treatment the whole time she’s here,” Chaeyoung reasons out.

“You can’t keep her cooped up at your place, either,” Nayeon adds.

Dahyun sighs and rubs at her forehead. As much as she hates to admit it, the three of them are right.

“I’ll think of an excuse to explain her sudden appearance to the villagers,” Dahyun answers. “But four days will be over before we know it, so I doubt she’ll even notice whether I talk about myself or not.”

“You sure you won’t get lonely once Mina leaves?” Nayeon teases.

Dahyun gives her a look and retorts, “I barely even know her, so why would I feel lonely?”

“I dunno about that, cap. A lot can happen in four days, you know?” Chaeyoung singsongs.

“ _Or,_ ” Dahyun emphasizes and shoots each of them a pointed look, “nothing is going to happen. At all.”

“Whatever you say, cap,” Jeongyeon says dismissively as she pats Dahyun’s shoulder.

Dahyun ignores her and points at the fallen fence, then sternly says, “Okay, enough chitchat and get back to fixing that fence.”

Honestly. It isn’t even like Mina is here by choice, and Dahyun’s only goal is to make sure Mina arrives in Seoul safe and sound.

That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.

\-----

The atmosphere in the living room is heavy, with Sana struggling to hold back her tears while Momo rubs her shoulder. Mina’s mom is listless, her eyes swollen from crying while Mina’s dad stares off into space.

“No,” Sana whispers, shaking her head vigorously in denial. “That’s- that can’t be true. Mina is-“ she cuts herself off and whimpers, unable to finish the thought.

Momo feels her blood turn cold. Their worst fears have already been confirmed – Mina didn’t land in Seoul like she was supposed to, and instead went missing after her plane crashed in the middle of the ocean.

They already knew this was a possibility as the night wore on and they didn’t hear a thing from Mina, but to have it thrown in their face like cold water being splashed over the heads is something Momo and Sana find difficult to grasp.

“We already dispatched a search party, but until we find our daughter, we can’t let anyone hear of this,” Mina’s dad strains out, his voice heavy and weighed down with exhaustion.

Momo glances at the empty space on the couch across them, and, noticing this, Mina’s mom shakes her head and whispers, “I don’t think he’s coming. We tried to get in touch, but…”

_He isn’t picking up our calls or answering our messages._

It’s a dialogue Momo is all too familiar with, especially since she heard the same thing from Mina multiple times before. A surge of anger rises within her at this, because he’s her _brother_ and he’s supposed to be here, dammit.

And yet, it’s as though she and Sana treat and love Mina like their own sister more than he does.

But out of respect and for everyone else’s sake, she pushes it down and channels her energy into comforting Sana and Mina’s parents instead.

\-----

Mina spends part of the day by sleeping to get rid of the heaviness in her body, then the rest by reading a book she picked at random from Dahyun’s bookshelf. There’s a wide range of books from shorter novels to lengthier ones; the genres widely varied and has Mina thinking that Dahyun has these different layers to her.

Maybe she shouldn’t be too curious, especially since she’s leaving in a few days; but at the same time, she can’t shake off her dad’s words to her as she carefully returns the book in its proper place.

_You’ll be able to catch a glimpse of what a person is like by looking at what’s in their bookshelf._

She didn’t really pay much attention when she plucked out the book earlier, but there should be no harm in taking a better look, right? Dahyun did say that she could read anything she wanted to, after all.

While she scans the row of books lined up on the shelf, a tall, hardbound spine that looks like it belongs to a photo album catches her eye. Before she can take a closer look, however, the lights suddenly go out, causing Mina to yelp in shock.

Panic begins to seize her chest when the lights don’t turn back on, her hands going clammy as she feels her way around the dark for the switch. She flicks it a few times, but to no avail. Throat closing up, she tries to look for a candle or anything she could use as a source of light, only to come up empty. Eventually, she sinks to the floor and draws her knees to her chin; her bottom lip quivering as she fights off a whimper.

_Onii-chan! Where are you!?_

She’s never been to good with the dark, and the fear she feels is only further intensified by the fact that she’s stuck in a place she never knew existed until she got here. More than anything, she finds herself desperately wishing that this is nothing more than a nightmare – that when she opens her eyes, the plane crash never happened and she’s safe back home.

Or, at the very least, that someone would come and pull her from the dark depths of fear that threatens to pull her under.

\-----

A bottle of jasmine oil catches Dahyun’s eye just as she’s about to hand the money to pay for the clothes she bought. Upon noticing this, the vendor lights up and goes on a tirade of its benefits.

At first, Dahyun doesn’t really pay attention. Her mind drifts off somewhere – namely, to how calm Mina appeared to be after drinking the jasmine tea Dahyun made for her.

“-and it can also help you sleep better at night,” the vendor finishes excitedly.

Now this grabs Dahyun’s attention. “It does?” she asks, interested.

The vendor nods enthusiastically. “Yes! It’s the last bottle I have in stock, though, and I won’t be able to-“

“I’ll take it,” Dahyun says immediately.

The vendor beams and hastily places the bottle inside a small box, and Dahyun slips it inside her breast pocket. Just as she thanks the vendor after accepting her change, their surroundings turn dark all of a sudden.

“Oh dear, it looks like the power went out again,” a woman murmurs in slight concern.

“Do you think it’ll be back soon?” another one asks.

Dahyun doesn’t listen to the rest of the conversation, her hand quickly moving to unclip the radio from her pants.

“Eagle to Penguin, Eagle to Penguin. Are you alright?” Dahyun waits for several seconds, frowning deeply when she doesn’t get a response. She decides to try again, but she’s met with dead silence once more.

Then, before Dahyun realizes it, she’s sprinting back towards the village with her flashlight in hand. The logical side of her tells her that there’s no need to worry; that she shouldn’t act on impulse or rely on her gut feeling that says that she _has_ to get back as soon as she possibly can.

But instinct tells her otherwise, and just like when she chose to go to the beach after a small voice told her to, Dahyun decides to put her trust in it.

When she arrives at her house, she finds Mina sitting on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest as she stares off into space. She looks up only when Dahyun crouches down in front of her, and it’s then that Dahyun sees the slight tremble of her lower lip and the fear that lurks within her eyes.

It’s a wonder how Mina managed to hold herself together for the past how many hours, until Dahyun realizes that Mina was alone in an unfamiliar house – in a place unknown to her - for almost the entire day. Anyone would be terrified, and even more so if the lights were to go out all of a sudden at nightfall.

Dahyun sucks and sets the bag and flashlight on the ground before she moves closer, and, in a gentle murmur, she says, “I’m here.”

At first, Dahyun isn’t sure if it was the right thing to say or if it means anything to Mina – especially considering that they weren’t even aware of each other’s existence up until yesterday. Yet, something about that part doesn’t sit right with Dahyun, either. In her head, it sounds wrong, and Dahyun desperately wishes she could figure out _why_ it feels that way every time the thought crosses her mind.

A tear rolls down Mina’s cheek, her eyes finding Dahyun’s in the dark; small, searching, _vulnerable._

_I’m here, Dahyun, even if we won’t see each other for a while. I promise I’ll call every time I can, okay?_

Dahyun swallows, her tongue appearing to have a mind of its own as she echoes her earlier words, “I’m here.”

She hopes it’s enough, at least on the part of a stranger like her.

A stranger like her who hasn’t known how to be vulnerable for far too long.

Ironic, she knows, but if she can at least be there and offer a semblance of comfort to anyone who needs it, then Dahyun is willing to provide those.

Then, with a steady and unwavering gaze, Dahyun says it one more time, “I’m here.”

Mina releases a shaky breath and quickly wipes away her tears. “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I’m not- I’m not good at dealing with the dark.”

“It’s okay,” Dahyun assures her. “Everyone has something they’re afraid of.”

Mina sucks in her lower lip and nods. Dahyun stays still until Mina has significantly calmed down, breath catching in her throat as she watches Mina peer up at her.

“I’ll go get the lamp,” Dahyun murmurs, then rises to her feet when Mina nods.

Dahyun takes the lamp and a box of matches from the kitchen, then walks back into the living room and sits cross-legged in front of Mina. She lights up the lamp and places it between them; the flicker of the flames dancing in their eyes as they look at each other.

Mina picks at her sweatpants, her quiet whisper breaking the silence, “Have you ever had one of those days where everything was going well, and then it just explodes in your face in the end?”

Dahyun pushes her tongue against her cheek, unsure if she should answer. The question feels too personal; hits a little too close to home, especially because her answer is a resounding yes.

But Dahyun doesn’t feel like opening that can of worms, even though God knows it’s long overdue that she should.

So, she chooses to stay silent.

“Because that’s what happened to me yesterday,” Mina continues with a strained chuckle and a shake of the head, more tears rolling down her cheeks. “Everything was going so well. My plan to expand my string of theaters to Seoul was finally given the green light yesterday, and now I just-“ she pauses, jaw quivering as she hangs her head, like she doesn’t want to be seen crying. Dahyun knows that feeling all too well. “-I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s okay if you don’t,” Dahyun murmurs, drawing Mina’s gaze back to her. She swallows and pushes on, “It’s okay to be afraid, be worried, and feel lost for a while. It might come at different times for everyone, but there’s sure to be good days waiting ahead of the bad ones.”

Okay. Maybe she spoke a little too much there – maybe even exposed a part of herself without meaning to. Thankfully, it’s dark; so, if her expression gives away a chip in her armor, then the chances that Mina noticed it would be on the low side.

“You sound like you’re speaking from experience,” Mina says with a faint smile.

Dahyun chuckles. “Maybe.”

Mina regards her for a moment, then whispers, “Thank you…”

“For what?”

“For going out of your way to help and listen to me like this, even though I’m a complete stranger.”

Dahyun exhales. “I’m just doing what I have to.” Then, remembering the clothes she bought from the marketplace, Dahyun pushes the bag she brought with her towards Mina. “I got these for you, by the way. I thought you might be more comfortable wearing new clothes than the ones I have.”

Mina peers into the bag, a small frown tugging down on her lips as she glances at Dahyun again. “I- you didn’t have to, Dahyun.”

_I’m only going to be here for four more days_ is left unspoken, but Dahyun hears it inside her head all the same.

Ignoring the tug in her chest from hearing Mina say her name, Dahyun shakes her head and smiles.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” she reassures Mina. “I’m not sure if they look the best, though, but hopefully they aren’t that bad.”

While she speaks, Mina rummages around the bag and pulls out a purple cardigan, then holds it out in front of her.

“No, these are good,” Mina says with a smile – a gentle curve of the lips that has Dahyun finding it hard to tear her gaze away from her. “Thank you, Dahyun.”

Dahyun clears her throat and tips her head. “You’re welcome. And, uhm, there’s one last thing.” At Mina’s curious gaze, Dahyun reaches inside her breast pocket and pulls out the box containing the bottle of jasmine oil. “I heard that it helps you sleep better at night,” she explains, watching Mina open the box and carefully take out the bottle.

Mina twists the lid open and squeezes out a few drops onto her wrists, then rubs them together and then against the sides of her neck.

“I use these a lot,” Mina says with a content hum, looking nothing short of happy as she sniffs her wrists. “The scent helps me relax when I feel restless.”

_A lot can happen in four days, you know?_

Dahyun is quick to push the thought away and clears her throat again, subtly averting her gaze from the soft twinkle in Mina’s eyes as she falls quiet. To her surprise, however, Mina pushes the bottle in her direction and offers her a gentle smile.

“You should try it, too,” Mina encourages her.

Dahyun hesitates for a second, but eventually nods and dabs a few drops onto her wrists like Mina did earlier. Mina’s smile grows as Dahyun relaxes visibly at the soothing scent of the oil on her skin, but otherwise says nothing.

“So?” Mina urges softly. “How do you feel?”

“Better,” Dahyun admits, rubbing at the back of her neck. “Thanks…”

“You’re welcome,” Mina answers, smile still in place.

Dahyun smiles back, somehow feeling at complete ease in that moment.

\-----

Later that night, Dahyun keeps the lamp burning until Mina falls asleep. And once she’s sure that Mina won’t stir, she puts the flame out and lies down on her mattress on the floor; the faint scent of the jasmine and Mina’s soft, even breaths lulling her into a peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading! And kudos, bookmarks, and comments are greatly appreciated! <3


	3. the sound of you tickles me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Welcome back for chapter three! A bit of pining here and we're introducing a new character :D
> 
> Title of this chapter taken from "Like You" by So Soo Bin and SOHEE

Yellow.

Instead of a bleak gray, yellow is the first color that pops into Dahyun’s head when she wakes up that morning. Then, she thinks of yellow tulips – bright and cheerful and reminding her of happier, carefree days.

Days where she did nothing but crack jokes and make puns and witty remarks like nothing in the world could go wrong. Days where she could smile and laugh and not feel like there’s a pit at the bottom of her stomach every time she does.

Dahyun misses those days.

Despite having slept on the floor, her body feels light as she sits up and rubs at her eyes. Then again, she’s slept in worse before – sometimes even sitting with her back against the wall – so this is nothing.

The sun has yet to fully rise, but Dahyun doesn’t try falling back to sleep. She hardly ever could once she’s awake anyway, so she stares at the ceiling instead, listening to the rustling of the curtains and Mina’s quiet, even breaths from above her.

She can still smell a bit of the jasmine from the night before; the enthusiasm that lit Mina’s eyes the one thing Dahyun associates the fragrance with.

And when she recalls the tiny quirk of Mina’s lips that grew into a smile, Dahyun thinks of yellow tulips blossoming into full bloom at the beginning of spring.

Stifling a yawn, Dahyun stands up and does a few stretches to loosen her joints. Mina, on the other hand, is still fast asleep, lying on her side while facing the wall. At the cool draft that hits her exposed ankle, Mina shivers and curls further into herself. Other than that, she remains unbothered and lies completely still.

Careful not to disturb her, Dahyun fixes the blanket until Mina is fully covered and shielded from the early morning breeze that drifts through the open window. Then, just to be safe, Dahyun decides to close the window, too.

After the fright Mina went through the previous night, Dahyun is relieved that Mina somehow managed to settle down right underneath the covers without so much as a single fuss.

As quietly as she can, Dahyun folds her own blanket and rolls up the mattress before setting them aside, sparing Mina one last glance before she turns and leaves the room. On any other regular day, she would have already taken a shower and gotten dressed, then slipped out of the house to take a stroll before returning to have some breakfast.

But considering what happened last night, she doesn’t think leaving Mina to wake up alone would be a good idea. So, she decides to read a book so she can keep herself occupied for a while.

She chooses one with a lighter, happier plot and sits in the kitchen, enjoying the warm sunlight while she turns the pages one by one and absorbs every sentence and every word.

It doesn’t take long until she’s completely engrossed with reading, low chuckles escaping her every now and then as the words suck her in. Partway through, a bookmark designed with a yellow tulip slips out from one of the pages and falls onto the table the exact same time Mina walks into the kitchen.

Dahyun’s gaze flits to Mina right after she picks up the bookmark, and it feels as though everything else turns brighter the moment Mina’s eyes lock onto hers.

Mina glances at the book in Dahyun’s hand. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she apologizes. “Did I disturb you?”

“Ah- no,” Dahyun says, her voice a little rough around the edges from the lack of use. She clears her throat and scratches at the back of her neck. “You’re good, no worries.”

A smile quirks at the corners of Mina’s lips as she sits in front of Dahyun, her eyes drifting towards the bookmark in Dahyun’s hand. “That’s a pretty bookmark.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Dahyun agrees with a chuckle. “I got this while I was on vacation, but that was a pretty long time ago so the colors are a bit faded now.”

“You must use it a lot, too,” Mina muses, still smiling.

Dahyun nods and lets out a small laugh. “Yeah, I do. I think it’s the one I use the most, actually.”

“Tulips are beautiful flowers, so I can’t blame you,” Mina says in a wistful sort of tone that adds to Dahyun’s nostalgia. “I especially like how cheerful the yellow ones are.”

Dahyun hums in agreement and glances at the slightly faded yellow color on the bookmark – a little muted but still bright nonetheless – then back at Mina.

\-----

_Dahyun can’t help but notice the way the girl’s face falls when the shop owner tells her that they’re sold out of yellow tulips. The girl’s visible disappointment makes Dahyun feel like she has to do something to chase away the small frown that doesn’t – and shouldn’t – belong to such a pretty girl like her._

_With the extra yellow tulip she has (which was also the last one available) and what little of English that Dahyun knows so far, she taps the girl’s shoulder and offers her the flower._

_“For you,” Dahyun says with a smile, much to the girl’s surprise._

_Cheeks tinged pink, the girl shakes her head and refuses, “No, I- I can’t take this. You bought it.”_

_“It’s fine,” Dahyun insists, broadening her smile into a grin to reassure the girl. “It’s an extra.”_

_The girl hesitates for a moment, then decides to accept. Their hands brush and the girl’s blush deepens as she takes the tulip, bowing deeply as she thanks Dahyun. “Thank you,” she says in a sweet, soft voice, the frown on her face turning upside down and into a shy, yet bright smile – brighter than the flower she holds in her hands with great care._

_“You’re welcome,” Dahyun answers, grin still in place._

\-----

Turning the bookmark over in her hand, Dahyun glances away from Mina for a moment to read the short note written on the back.

_Thank you for the flowers, Dahyun-ah! I found this while you were busy looking at the books, and I hope this one finds a special place in your collection <3_

A slight pang of guilt twinges within Dahyun’s chest after she finishes reading the note, her gaze lingering on the drawing of a tiny heart at the end for a passing second. It must show on her face, because Mina knits her eyebrows together and gently asks, “Is everything okay?”

“Hmm?” Dahyun hums, distracted, as she sets the bookmark down. At the look of concern that shadows Mina’s face, Dahyun musters a smile and says, “Yeah. I’m okay.”

If it weren’t for the way she rushed to get home last night to make sure Mina was okay after the power went out, Dahyun would have said that it’s odd to have someone she barely knows show concern over her. Though she’s sure anyone with half a heart would do the same thing she did if they were in her shoes.

Stranger still, Dahyun gets this feeling that Mina is the type of person that has more than half a heart.

It shows in the way Mina doesn’t appear entirely convinced, though she decides not to push any further. Plus, it isn’t like Mina knows her well enough to tell if she’s lying.

Dahyun slots the bookmark back between the pages and closes the book, then puts it back on the shelf, right beside the lone photo album she brought with her.

“Are you hungry?” Dahyun asks Mina as she turns back around. “I just have to go out for a bit and-“

A series of knocks against the door cuts Dahyun off midsentence. She swears, if this is Nayeon, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon about to barge in again, she’s going to give them a piece of her mind this time.

“Hang on, let me just get that quick,” Dahyun says and excuses herself, then answers the door.

Instead of the three, what greets Dahyun are two of the village aunties standing outside her door. With eager smiles on their faces, one of them greets, “Ah, Captain Dahyun! Good morning!”

Dahyun gives a polite nod and a bow of the head, then looks behind her to make sure Mina is hidden from sight before she greets back, “Good morning, auntie. What brings you here this early?”

“Oh! We remembered that it’s about time for you to stock up on a few ingredients, so we brought them with us.”

“You didn’t have to,” Dahyun protests. “I was about to drop by to get them myself.”

“Nonsense!” scoffs another one, waving Dahyun off. “Besides, it isn’t like it’s a hassle for us.”

The others murmur in agreement, making Dahyun smile. And even though there isn’t any reason for so many of them to check in on her, she appreciates the thought all the same.

“Thank you,” Dahyun says gratefully as she takes the bags and bows down again.

She’s about to head back inside when one of the women pipe up with, “Captain, are those shoes yours?”

Dahyun swears her heart almost leaps out of her throat then, her head snapping towards the pair of flats that sit beside her boots. She curses herself for not hiding them better as she turns back around while trying to think of an explanation that wouldn’t sound absurd.

“Dahyun? Do you need help?”

At the sound of Mina’s voice and the footsteps that follow, Dahyun flinches and almost drops the bags she’s holding. The aunties let out a collective gasp of shock as Mina emerges from within the house and appears by the entryway to the threshold. Mina, too, freezes in place at the widened eyes that stare back at her.

Well, so much for keeping the situation under control.

“Oh, dear, who might this girl be?” someone asks in a low voice, but loud enough for the rest to hear – Dahyun and Mina included.

“We’ve never seen her before, have we?”

Dahyun racks her brain for a way to get her and Mina out of this pickle before the situation spirals completely out of control, and what tumbles out of her mouth is, “She’s here to help out at the clinic.”

Perfect. She just hopes Mina won’t be flustered and would be able to ride along with her story without looking fishy.

Much to her relief, Mina is able to do just that.

With a smile and a polite bow, Mina softly says, “Oh, yes. I was sent here so I could assist with the clinic. I arrived late at night by boat, and Captain Dahyun was kind enough to allow me to stay with her in the meantime.”

Despite her surprise over how Mina doesn’t even so much as stutter even though she’s being put on the spot, Dahyun manages to keep a straight face all throughout. Not only that, but there’s her thoroughness, too, as though anticipating more follow-up questions.

“But didn’t you call Captain Dahyun by just her first-“

The one who speaks up is cut off with a firm nudge against her side by the other woman.

“Come now, maybe she did and we just didn’t hear it. Besides, she looks very polite,” the woman chides.

“Ah, right, of course. I’m sorry…”

Dahyun suppresses a sigh of relief when no other prying questions follow, only releasing it once the aunties walk away and are out of earshot.

“You think fast,” Mina compliments her, sounding impressed.

Dahyun laughs and scratches at her cheek. “I could say the same for you. I was surprised you didn’t bat an eye even though I put you on the spot there.”

“I’m used to being put on the spot most of the time, so it isn’t a big deal,” Mina explains with a shrug, not sounding the least bit worried or concerned. “And all things considered, this wasn’t difficult to worm out of.”

“Er, right. Except, what do we do now…?” Dahyun asks, knitting her eyebrows together.

“I’ll do exactly what you said,” Mina says simply, again without tripping over her words.

Dahyun stares at her. “I’m sorry, what?”

Mina giggles and gives her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “I’ll do exactly what you said,” she repeats. “We’ll make everyone suspicious if we don’t stick to our story, right? So, I’ll help out at the clinic.”

“Well, yeah, you’re right, but-“ Dahyun fumbles over her words, a first for her in a long time because Mina being here is already unexpected enough as it is; and now the things she says and does bewilder Dahyun on top of that.

With a twinkle in her eye, Mina touches Dahyun’s arm and says, “Don’t worry. My dad runs a hospital back home, so I know a thing or two about giving first aid. Though you’re lucky you didn’t explicitly say that I’m a doctor, because we would have a big problem in our hands if you did.”

Dahyun ignores the slight jump in her heartbeat at the feeling of Mina’s hand on her bicep, and she justifies it by telling herself that it’s because she was caught off guard – nothing more, nothing less. Besides, anyone’s heart would skip a beat if someone they barely know touched them out of the blue.

And she doesn’t know what pushes her to trust in Mina, but in the end, that’s what Dahyun decides to do.

“Okay,” Dahyun agrees, causing Mina’s smile to widen.

“But I guess I’ll have to call you Captain Dahyun when we’re with other people, so we don’t make anyone suspicious,” Mina muses, and if Dahyun isn’t mistaken, she swears she hears a subtle, teasing lilt.

Or maybe she’s imagining things.

Still, her heart skips another beat yet again, and maybe, just maybe, Dahyun admits to herself that the curve of Mina’s lips is beautiful to look at.

\-----

Word about Mina spreads like wildfire throughout the village, but Dahyun remains unfazed despite the blatant stares being thrown their way as she leads Mina towards the clinic. At this point, Dahyun wouldn’t be surprised if all the villagers have already heard about Mina.

Maybe that’s why she doesn’t even flinch when she walks into the clinic and Jihyo greets her with an annoyed huff. Before Dahyun can explain the situation, however, Jihyo fixes her with a glare, giving Dahyun no chance to speak.

“An assistant, Dahyun? _Really?_ ” Jihyo says incredulously. “Did you know how hard it was to act like I knew what everyone was talking about even though I was clueless? And who’s staying with you, anyway?”

Dahyun opens her mouth to talk, but Mina beats her to it.

“That would be me…” Mina says in a soft voice as she steps out from where she stands behind Dahyun.

Jihyo’s jaw drops. Dahyun shrugs and scratches at the back of her neck. Jihyo stares at Dahyun, then at Mina, then back at Dahyun while spluttering incoherent sentences.

“This is Mina,” Dahyun starts to explain, then drops her voice lower. “I found her washed ashore on the beach the two nights ago, and she’s staying with me until she can leave for Seoul.”

“Washed ashore? Seoul? What on earth is going on, Dahyun!?“ Jihyo’s voice rises higher and higher in pitch with every word, almost screeching by the end. Dahyun tries to speak again, but Jihyo shushes her and turns to Mina. “No, wait, you know what? Mina, was it?” Mina nods, and Jihyo flashes her a sweet smile as she tugs on Dahyun’s wrist. “Could you excuse us for a moment?”

“O-okay.”

Jihyo then pulls Dahyun further inside and draws the makeshift divider to a close, separating the two of them from Mina.

Dahyun drops her gaze to where Jihyo’s hand is still curled around her wrist and comments, “You do know Nayeon is going to get sulky if she finds out about this, right?”

Jihyo scoffs and rolls her eyes as she lets go of Dahyun’s hand. “Please. She still has to ask me out, but that’s not the point here so don’t try and change the topic.” She then clicks her tongue and points behind Dahyun. “Now then, about that girl. Do the three know about her?”

“Yeah, they do. They already met her yesterday.”

“They already met-“ Jihyo pauses to let out a weary sigh and rubs at her temple. “Okay, let’s try this again.” She looks Dahyun straight in the eye and raises an eyebrow. “You’re really letting a random stranger you found on the beach stay with you, and now said stranger is supposed to be my assistant. Did I get that right?”

Dahyun shrugs and says, “Yeah. And hey, you don’t need to be suspicious of Mina, alright? She was on her way to Seoul from Japan, but she got into a plane crash and that’s how she ended up here.”

Jihyo’s eyebrow arches higher, and she gives Dahyun this look like she’s analyzing her. Already used to being looked at that way over the years, Dahyun doesn’t falter or so much as shy away from Jihyo’s probing stare.

This goes on for a few more seconds, and, unable to take Jihyo’s wordless staring any longer, Dahyun consciously shifts her weight onto her right foot and asks, “What?”

Jihyo hums, thoughtful, then points out, “You know, for two people who just met, you sure like saying her name.”

Dahyun folds her arms across her chest and frowns. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure, you don’t,” Jihyo deadpans. “But knowing you, it’s probably your way of showing that you care about her.”

It’s Dahyun’s turn to scoff this time. “Of course, I care about what happens to Mina,” she retorts. “She’s far away from home and she doesn’t know anyone here, so what am I supposed to do? Act cold towards her after what she’s been through?”

Instead of giving her an answer, however, Jihyo says something else. “Three.”

Dahyun’s frown deepens. “Three what?”

“That’s the number of times you’ve said Mina’s name since the two of you walked in here.”

“Your point being?”

“That you like saying her name,” Jihyo says, plain and simple, but at the same time like it should hold some weight.

“Oh God,” Dahyun groans, already feeling herself start to go insane. “Why are you so fixated on this? Wouldn’t it be weirder if I didn’t say her name at all?”

“Yeah, but I don’t think you need to say it _that_ often,” Jihyo emphasizes.

Okay. Forget what she said earlier. On top of Jihyo driving her mad, Dahyun now has a headache to deal with, too.

“Like you don’t say Nayeon’s name a lot,” Dahyun fires back.

“No, I don’t!” Jihyo denies, though the growing blush that creeps across her cheeks gives her away. “And stop trying to make this about me when we’re supposed to be talking about _you._ ”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Dahyun huffs, exasperated. “Look, Mina can’t stay locked up at my house, so just let her help out, alright? She knows how to do first aid, so you could let her handle that. It’s only for a few days, anyway.”

Jihyo throws her hands in the air in surrender. “Alright, fine. But you’re taking responsibility if something happens.”

Dahyun shrugs. “Fine by me.”

“Ugh, I don’t even know why I thought that would scare you. You _love_ responsibility.”

“No, it’s just because I’m sure you won’t let anything bad happen.”

“I never would have agreed to this if you didn’t have such a good track record, and I hate it,” Jihyo grumbles. “But whatever, I guess I don’t have a choice now, do I?”

“Nope,” Dahyun pops out. “So, I’m leaving Mina in your hands now, alright?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jihyo says with a huff and a roll of the eyes. “Sure thing, Cap.” Then, just as Dahyun turns to leave, Jihyo laughingly says, “That’s the sixth time, by the way.”

Dahyun ignores her and opens the divider, her gaze landing on Mina who sits on one of the stools lined up by the door. Behind Dahyun, Jihyo follows, the corners of her lips lifting into a smirk as she watches Dahyun approach Mina.

“We already worked it out,” Dahyun tells Mina with a soft smile. “You can help out here and Jihyo will take care of you, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Okay.” Mina smiles back at Dahyun. “Thank you, Dahyun.”

Golden yellow.

Dahyun swears she sees a glint of golden-yellow within Mina’s gaze, then realizes that it must be the sunlight reflecting off of Mina’s eyes. The sight of it makes Dahyun want to linger from where she stands, if only to watch the warm golden rays dance across Mina’s face.

Maybe she would have, if it weren’t for Jihyo clearing her throat to remind Dahyun that she needs to leave.

Broken out of her spell, Dahyun shoves a hand into her pocket and says, “See you later, Mi-“ she stops dead in her tracks when she hears Jihyo snicker, confusing Mina, “-yeah. I’ll see you later.”

Then, without saying anything more, Dahyun opens the door and is about to walk out when Mina calls out to her.

“Dahyun?”

At the sound of Mina softly saying her name, Dahyun doesn’t hesitate to turn back towards her, then breathes out, “Yeah?”

Mina reaches out to touch her forearm, and Dahyun feels that jump in her heartbeat again. “Take care…”

Jihyo watches the exchange with unbridled interest and amusement, which only grows when Dahyun glances down to where Mina’s hand rests on her arm.

It takes a second for Dahyun to recover, and once she does, she nods and murmurs, “I will.”

Mina then withdraws her hand, the loss of the touch leaving Dahyun with a slight feeling of disappointment. But before she could start to dwell on it and, in turn, stay any longer than she should, Dahyun steps out the door; but not before looking behind her shoulder to look at Mina one more time.

\-----

Mina is fairly sure Dahyun was about to say her name, but stopped midway for some reason she couldn’t figure out. And she doesn’t know why she wanted so badly for Dahyun to say it, or why she felt like there was something missing when Dahyun didn’t.

Then, embarrassingly enough, she isn’t sure what came over her when she called out to Dahyun to stop her from leaving; or why her hand seemed to have a mind of its own when it moved to touch Dahyun’s arm.

Though to Mina’s relief, Dahyun didn’t appear to be uncomfortable or looked like she wanted to shake off her hand. She wouldn’t know what to do if Dahyun were to feel awkward around her, and all because Mina couldn’t contain herself.

Staring at her hand, Mina almost forgets that she isn’t alone until a voice snaps her out of her thoughts.

“She’s a difficult person to read, isn’t she?”

Mina turns around to face Jihyo, trying not to focus on the tingling sensation in her fingertips as she lowers her hand.

She thinks of how Dahyun seems to be careful not to give much about herself away; thinks of the flicker of emotion that disappeared as quickly as it came as Dahyun flipped the bookmark over in her hand; then of Dahyun’s quick thinking and how she stumbled over her words not long after.

Mina chuckles and admits, “A bit, yes.”

Jihyo laughs. Like Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon, Mina can already feel that Jihyo is a warm and friendly person, too. Mina finds it to be a welcome and refreshing change, especially when the crowd within her sphere tend to be so self-absorbed and dismissive.

“You’re the first person to say that Dahyun is only ‘a bit’ hard to read. But even though she’s that way, she’s good at showing how much she cares about other people.”

_I’m here._

Three times. In a low, comforting murmur, Dahyun said those words three times; lessening Mina’s fear and breaking through the darkness a little more each time, until the dread that gripped her finally left.

“She is,” Mina agrees.

Jihyo chuckles, then gasps. “Oh, but where are my manners? I’m Jihyo, by the way, Park Jihyo. And I’m sure you already know this, but I’m the doctor here.”

“I’m Mina,” Mina says with a smile. “Myoui Mina.”

“Dahyun told me you’re from Japan, is that right?”

“Ah, yes. I come here a lot so that’s why I learned to speak Korean.”

“You’re very good at it,” Jihyo says with a grin. “And this might not be Seoul, but I hope you can be comfortable here.”

“It’s very different here from what I’m used to, but Dah-“ Mina pauses, cheeks growing warm as she backtracks, “-everyone seems nice.”

If Jihyo noticed that Mina was about to say Dahyun’s name, she doesn’t call her out on it and instead agrees, “They are. I’m a doctor for the military and I’ve been to a few other places just like this village, but the people are always nice and welcoming even though they’re going through rough times.”

There’s a sad undertone that lies beneath Jihyo’s voice as she speaks, but before Mina could ask about it, Jihyo flashes her a smile and says, “Anyway, welcome to the club. There isn’t much to do here at the clinic, so we’ll mostly be keeping each other company. And I hope you don’t mind, but I tend to talk a lot.”

Mina chuckles and shakes her head. “No, it’s okay,” she assures Jihyo. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

“Well then-“ Jihyo smirks, her eyes glinting with mischief, “-would you like to know more about our dear Captain Dahyun?”

The glee in Jihyo’s voice makes it sounds like she’s dying to spill some gossip, and even though Mina said she would try not to be too curious about Dahyun, a part of her is also convinced that it wouldn’t hurt to know more about the person who found and saved her.

“I guess it won’t hurt,” Mina relents with a soft giggle. “Was Dahyun already like that when you met her?”

“You mean like, quiet? Reserved? Dependable?” Jihyo ticks off one by one on her fingers, then wriggles her eyebrows. “Beautiful?” At that, Mina laughs, though she can’t deny that Dahyun _is_ striking to look at. Not that she thinks about it a lot, of course not. She’s just being honest, is all. “All of the above?”

Mina suppresses a smile. “All of the above, I think.”

Eyes sparkling, Jihyo rests her hand on her chin and says, “Yup, she was already all of those things when we met. It’s the reason why pretty much everyone likes her, including the higher-ranking officials. But there _is_ something I don’t understand about her.”

Curious, Mina tilts her head to the side. “What is it?”

“She’s quiet, but she’s a good talker, too, if that makes sense? I’m not sure how to put it myself, but she has a knack for being able to talk in a way that you won’t notice that she hasn’t said anything about herself.”

Mina contemplates this for a moment, thinking of how Dahyun seems to have this subtle tendency to steer the conversation in such a way where she won’t have to talk much about herself. She would be lying if she said that she isn’t curious as to why Dahyun has that habit, but she doesn’t want to stick her nose too far in, either.

Bits and pieces should be enough – she doesn’t need to dive in deeper than necessary and know Dahyun from the inside out.

“She does give off that vibe,” Mina says after a while, nodding slowly.

“Right?” Jihyo chuckles. “She’s a tough nut to crack and it’s why I don’t know much about her, so I would be really impressed if there’s someone who could get her to actually talk.”

At that, Mina just smiles and nods in agreement.

She would be impressed, too, if there’s anyone out there who would be able to figure Dahyun out.

\-----

The rest of the day flies by without incident, with Mina talking to Jihyo to while the hours away. Jihyo, unsurprisingly, is a good companion to have, making Mina glad that there are people like her around. And though she does like to talk, she has a good listening ear, too, which Mina appreciates.

Then, before she knows it, dusk has already begun to settle in, which surprises them both.

“Oh, it’s already gotten dark,” Jihyo says with wide eyes as she glances out the window, where the sky is already painted with a pinkish hue along with a deep orange in the horizon. “You’re staying at Dahyun’s house, right? I’ll walk you there.”

“Yes,” Mina answers with a smile. “Thank you, Jihyo.”

She then stands up and follows Jihyo out the door, her smile instantly broadening when she notices Dahyun standing by the steps leading to the clinic.

“What do we have here?” Jihyo says in a teasing tone as Dahyun walks up the steps. “Were you waiting for Mina?”

“No,” Dahyun denies, shoving her hands into her pockets. Mina bites back a giggle. “I just arrived and thought I’d go back with Mina.”

“If you say so,” Jihyo singsongs.

“Yeah, yeah, just go back inside,” Dahyun answers as she waves a hand in dismissal. Then she turns to Mina, voice softening as she asks, “Ready to go?”

Mina’s breath almost catches in her throat at the gentleness that colors Dahyun’s normally unreadable gaze. “I- yes, I’m ready.”

A slight smile curves at Dahyun’s lips as Mina walks towards her, and Dahyun turns her head towards Jihyo. “Good night, Hyo!”

With a grin, Jihyo waves at Dahyun and Mina. “Night, Cap! Night, Mina!” Then, just as Mina and Dahyun turn around, she calls out to Dahyun, “That’s the seventh time, just so you know!”

Dahyun pretends not to hear Jihyo and continues walking ahead.

“Seventh time?” Mina asks in confusion. “What did Jihyo mean by that?”

Dahyun lets out a laugh that sounds a little awkward. “It’s nothing,” she says in assurance, though Mina has this feeling that it isn’t nothing. Still, Dahyun doesn’t seem bothered by what Jihyo said, so Mina decides not to push. “Jihyo’s just being Jihyo.”

With her other hand still in her pocket, Dahyun pulls out her other one and swings it back and forth as they trudge down the stony path in silence. The stars then come out and begin to shine through the darkness of the sky, and Mina almost gasps in awe at the sight.

Dahyun slows down her steps and chuckles at the look of amazement on Mina’s face. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” she murmurs.

Mina tears her gaze away from the sky for a moment to glance at Dahyun. “They are,” she whispers in agreement. “I’m sorry, it’s just that I don’t get to see them often.”

“I get what you mean.” Dahyun pauses to look up, and this time, Mina is unable to stop her breath from catching in her throat. There’s a hint of melancholy in Dahyun’s expression as she keeps her gaze trained towards the sky, the back of her hand brushing against Mina’s as they stand next to each other. “They’re difficult to see from the city, aren’t they?”

Mina moves her hand closer to her side to contain herself from narrowing the tiny gap that separates the tips of their fingers. Touching Dahyun’s arm is one thing, but slipping her fingers through the spaces in between Dahyun’s would be far too intimate, would be bordering on unfamiliar territory.

So, she lifts her head back towards the twinkling stars instead and murmurs, “They are.”

“Have you always lived in the city?” Dahyun asks as they being walking again.

“Yeah, I have. My dad was already starting his hospital there before I was born, so the city life is all I’ve known.”

“It must feel a lot different for you to be here.”

“It does,” Mina admits. “But I would probably have a harder time if you weren’t here.”

At that, Dahyun’s lips quirk upwards. “You give me too much credit.”

Mina shakes her head and nudges their shoulders together. “No, I always give credit where it’s due.”

Dahyun laughs and slides her hand back into her pocket. “I bet you do.”

“Mmhmm,” Mina hums. “What about you? Did you also live in the city before you joined the army?”

“Yeah,” Dahyun murmurs, a faraway look in her eyes. “I lived in Seongnam before I joined.”

Mina’s eyes widen in surprise. “You lived near Seoul?”

“Years ago, yes. I haven’t been back home in a long time, though.”

Bits and pieces, Mina reminds herself, but it isn’t easy to stand by what she told herself when Dahyun looks so… _distant_ – like she’s waiting for someone to pull her back.

A small touch wouldn’t hurt, right? It’s the least Mina could do after the comfort Dahyun gave her last night.

Just one touch.

A part of Mina is thankful that Dahyun still has her hands in her pockets, but there’s also another part that’s disappointed. So, she settles for curling her fingers around Dahyun’s forearm, which draws Dahyun’s gaze back to her.

There’s a sway in Dahyun’s eyes as the corners of her lips pull into a slight smile, throwing Mina back to the random encounter she had at a flower shop in Switzerland many years ago – the blurry face of the girl who gave her a yellow tulip and her bright, blinding grin suddenly appearing right in front of her.

When Mina blinks and opens her eyes again, the image fades away and it’s her and Dahyun again, standing together on that stony path in silence while the stars burn bright in the sky.

Or is it still her and Dahyun?

Shaking off the odd feeling, Mina sucks in her lower lip and lets her touch linger as if to tell Dahyun, _I’m here._

She doesn’t dwell on the fact that their time together is short, and it’s the furthest thing from her mind when Dahyun says, “The view is a lot more beautiful from the beach. I’ll take you there sometime.”

Mina squeezes Dahyun’s arm, and, without looking away, she murmurs, “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

The corners of Dahyun’s eyes crinkle even more, and as Mina watches this, she’s struck with this thought that the stars aren’t the only thing that are difficult to see from the city.

And that maybe bits and pieces won’t be enough for her anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you guys enjoyed this one! And I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! :D


	4. in my softly closed eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So, there's a few revelations here and this chapter also contains my favorite scene that I've written so far for this AU :D I hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Title of this chapter taken from "Photo of my Mind" by Song Ga In

Dahyun is an early riser.

This, Mina learns because every time she has woken up in the morning so far, the space beside the bed where Dahyun sleeps is already empty. It makes Mina wonder if Dahyun has trouble falling back asleep once she’s awake, or if she just chooses not to.

She must be quiet and careful when she moves around the room, too, because Mina never finds herself being disturbed from her sleep.

That morning, however, it just so happens that Mina stirs a little due to the cool breeze that hits her when the blanket slips past her shoulders. But as she’s about to reach for it, the covers are carefully being pulled over her again all of a sudden.

Warmth creeps across Mina’s cheeks when she realizes that Dahyun must have fixed it for her, though she doesn’t dare move until Dahyun’s footsteps recede. It’s moments like this where even though there’s a guarded, somber air about Dahyun most of the time, Mina finds her to be quite the gentle and thoughtful person.

Maybe even one of the most kindhearted people Mina has ever met in her life.

Rolling over onto her back, Mina opens her eyes and stares at the ceiling, thinking of how lonely Dahyun looked after confessing that she hasn’t been home in a while. She can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it must be for Dahyun to be away from her family for long periods of time, when Mina herself already misses her own after a few days.

A lump forms in Mina’s throat at the thought of her parents and Sana and Momo being worried sick over her, then of her brother who might not even care that she disappeared. Clutching the blanket close to her chest, Mina releases a shaky exhale and debates whether she should try going back to sleep or get the day started at last.

_Onii-chan? Where are you? Where are you hiding?_

Mina shakes her head to rid herself of the unwelcome memory and decides that she needs a distraction from her restless thoughts. She combs her fingers through her hair to get rid of the tangles, hoping that she at least looks presentable and not like a bird made its nest on her head.

Then she flushes. Why would it bother her so much if she comes out looking like a mess for Dahyun to see? For all she knows, her mouth could have been hanging open when Dahyun draped the blanket more securely over her earlier.

Heck, she could have even been _snoring_ these past few nights and Dahyun might just be too kind to tell her about it.

Mortified by the thought, Mina squeaks and buries her face into her hands, her blush turning so deep she swears her entire face is on fire.

“No, please, no,” she begs to no one in particular. “Please no snoring…”

Then, with a huff and a shake of the head, Mina gives herself a light slap on both her cheeks at the same time. Dahyun doesn’t seem like a superficial person who likes to make fun of other people for their appearance, anyway – or at least Mina hopes so.

Still, she pats down her shirt and shorts before shuffling out the bedroom and into the living room that also doubles as a dining space.

What she sees there makes her pause and stand still.

It shouldn’t even affect Mina as much as it does, and yet, the sight of Dahyun in a gray sweater with the sunlight kissing her skin and dark hair strikes Mina breathless and at a complete loss for words. Dahyun, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to have heard her approaching as she continues to stare out the window with a pensive expression.

Mina hasn’t ever really given much thought as to what kind of person her type is, but if she did, Dahyun would most certainly fit the bill. Her dark, striking eyes; the gentleness in her gaze; her quiet, caring nature; the subtle quirk of her lips when she smiles and the way her eyes crinkle when she grins; the melodic lilt in her voice when she says Mina’s name…

Yes. Kim Dahyun is definitely her type.

_Oh, God._

Mina hits the brakes on that speeding train of thought before it takes her somewhere it shouldn’t.

She _cannot_ be acting like a giddy high-schooler who loves to daydream about their crush in the middle of class. She’s a full-grown adult, for crying out loud!

A full-grown adult who may or may not be swooning over how breathtaking Dahyun looks even in a simple gray sweater, that is.

Then again, maybe she’s just sick and tired of seeing people wear fancy clothes and flash their jewelry at any given opportunity.

Yes, that’s it.

Though she’s fairly sure that none of those rich snobs would be able to pull off wearing a sweater and track pants the way Dahyun does.

Mina groans internally, wanting to smack herself for that one.

Honestly. She should _not_ be having these thoughts about Dahyun.

She decides that a distraction is in order, so she drops her gaze down to the table, where she spots a voice recorder lying next to the slightly-battered radio Dahyun lent to her. Mina wonders if there’s a connection between the two objects, and if they’re part of the reason as to why there’s a hazy look in Dahyun’s eye.

Feeling as though she might be intruding on a personal moment, Mina debates whether to retreat back into the bedroom so she can leave Dahyun alone with her thoughts, or to make her presence known at last.

In the end, Mina decides on the latter.

“Dahyun-ah?” she calls out, not even noticing the slip when Dahyun glances away from the window to look at her.

Dahyun’s warm brown eyes, turned a shade lighter by the sunlight as she gazes at Mina, knocks the wind clean out of Mina’s lungs and draws her in at the same time.

She’s never reacted this way before when she’s looking into someone else’s eyes; never felt like words are being caught in her throat, or as though she would want them to pull her under.

Never felt like she wanted to do something, _anything_ to spark some sort of emotion that would bring a wider, less-restrained smile to somebody else’s lips.

A slight tug pulls at Mina’s chest when Dahyun greets her with a smile and says, “You’re early today.”

“Not as early as you,” Mina teases.

Dahyun breathes out a laugh at that. “Yeah, you’re right,” she agrees.

“Do you normally wake up at this time?”

“Usually, yes. But sometimes I wake up even earlier.”

“Earlier?” Mina echoes, curious and disbelieving at the same time. She can’t even imagine herself waking up every day at this time, but _earlier?_ “What time?”

“Before sunrise,” Dahyun answers with a slight smile.

Mina gapes at her. “B-before sunrise? And you don’t go back to sleep?”

“Nope,” Dahyun pops out. She pauses, contemplative, then amends herself by admitting, “Or, well, it’s more like I can’t go back to sleep.”

A rueful expression crosses Dahyun’s face as she says this, but it’s gone in the blink of an eye.

Mina sucks in her lower lip, then asks, “What do you do in the mornings before you have to go on duty?”

“Sometimes I read, but most times I go out for a walk.”

“Why don’t we do that, then?” Mina suggests, grinning. When Dahyun blinks at her in confusion, Mina giggles and clarifies, “The two of us. Let’s go for a walk.”

Another thing Mina has learned about Dahyun? It’s that despite having a calm, quiet front, she gets flustered, too.

And Mina finds it cute when she does.

“I- you want to go out for a walk? With me?” Dahyun stammers.

“I do,” Mina affirms. “I feel bad that you might not have been able to go through your normal routine because of me, so I want to make it up to you somehow.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Dahyun says, shaking her head. “And besides, there’s nothing to feel bad about.”

“Then, what if I just want to take a stroll with you?”

If Mina has been reading her right so far, then Dahyun shouldn’t be able to find a reason to say no to her.

_One, two, three._

“Well, if that’s what you want, then sure,” Dahyun answers in amusement.

Mina’s lips twitch into a faint smile. _Bingo,_ she thinks to herself.

And somehow, winning Dahyun over feels strangely a lot more satisfying and fulfilling than sealing a business deal.

“It is,” Mina assures Dahyun, keeping her voice steady so as not to give away the giddiness that swells within her. She then glances out the window and at the open, blue sky, and muses, “And don’t you think it would be a shame to stay indoors when the weather is so nice?”

“Can’t say you’re wrong about that,” Dahyun says with a chuckle. “We’ll have breakfast and get ready for the rest of the day after we get back, is that okay with you?”

“Of course.” Mina nods and winks at Dahyun. “I’d be more than happy to follow your lead, Captain.”

At that, Dahyun flushes and coughs into her hand. “R-right. Then, shall we?”

To Mina’s (pleasant) surprise, Dahyun offers her hand with a warm smile, which Mina accepts by placing her palm atop Dahyun’s. A tingling sensation shoots across her skin the moment their fingers brush, and Mina has to restrain herself from holding on tighter than she should.

Dahyun’s hand is nothing like the smoothness Mina often encounters when shaking hands with socialites that have never had to experience doing physical work. Rather, Dahyun’s hand is firm yet soft at the same time, Mina notes to herself as she stands up, with callouses littering her palms and the tips of her fingers that tickle Mina’s skin.

It’s a contrast Mina can get behind any day.

“Let’s go?” Dahyun asks as she withdraws her hand.

Mina pushes down the urge to reach out and take it back, and instead nods. “Okay.”

It doesn’t occur to Mina that Dahyun has made no mention of the voice recorder until they’re out the door; which only adds to the growing list of questions Mina has about Dahyun.

Questions she isn’t even sure would be answered before she has to leave.

\-----

Two days.

It’s been two whole days since Mina’s disappearance, and they have yet to find or hear from her in those how many hours and counting. Though the plane wreckage has already been found by the search and rescue team, the crew, like Mina, are still missing.

Momo and Sana know this is the time when people would say that they need to prepare for the worst, but they’re much too stubborn and desperate to give heed to such a callous piece of advice – if it can even be called that.

Anyone in their position would agree that it’s too early to give up, and for as long as there’s still a shred of hope, then they would choose to hold onto it than let go.

So far, they’ve been able to keep the news under wraps, but they know that it’s only a matter of time before Mina’s employees – and later on, the general public – would begin to raise questions about her radio silence.

Until then, they can only keep searching and get Mina back home eventually.

And it’s also after two days when Mina’s brother finally decided to show himself, but unable to look any of them in the eye out of guilt and shame.

Sana stares him down without saying a single word, while Momo rubs her knee to keep her calm.

It isn’t a secret that while she and Sana love Mina to death, they can’t say the same for her brother. What kind of sibling doesn’t show up right after hearing that their sister has gone missing, but instead waits for _two whole days_ before doing so?

If he doesn’t want to take on the responsibility of handling their family business, then fine, so be it. But to be selfish enough not to be the older brother Mina needs him to be?

That’s one thing Momo and Sana can’t and won’t tolerate, especially when Mina has done nothing but reach out show concern towards him despite being continuously ignored for her efforts.

“The search and rescue team have expanded their search radius, but I’m afraid they won’t be able to continue come tomorrow,” Mina’s dad explains in a heavy voice, the dark circles underneath his eyes more visible.

Sana tightens her grip on Momo’s hand and lowers her head as she fights off her tears, while Mina’s mom and brother fidget restlessly.

“Did they say why?” Momo asks.

Mina’s dad purses his lips and nods. “Apparently, a storm is supposed to hit near the area where they’re searching, so they would have to put everything on hold tomorrow for everyone’s safety.”

Momo feels her stomach drop. If Mina is stuck in a place where the storm is going to hit without any means of survival, then it could only mean more danger and trouble for her.

Sana seems to have arrived at the same conclusion, as she sucks in a breath and holds Momo’s hand tight in a vice grip. 

“When will they be able to continue?” it’s Mina’s brother who speaks up this time, wringing his hands together.

“They said they would resume the search once they’re sure it’s safe again, but they can’t say when exactly. For now, all we can do is hope for the best and pray that our daughter is in safe hands…”

_Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best._

As helpless as it sounds and makes them appear, they have to accept that it’s the only thing they can all do at this point.

Momo just hopes to whichever god is listening to them that Mina _is_ in safe hands.

\-----

Compared to the hustle and bustle of the city, there’s a different liveliness and charm to the village that captivates Mina. While the adults mill about doing their laundry or talking animatedly with each other, the children run around giggling and squealing while carrying small backpacks.

They’re all so cute, with their round cheeks and big, toothy smiles, and Dahyun seems to be thinking the same thing as she watches the children with a fond look in her eye and an amused chuckle. Mina can’t help but smile herself, watching Dahyun while Dahyun watches the kids.

“Ah! It’s Captain Dahyun!” a little girl exclaims in delight as she barrels straight towards them. The other kids follow the girl’s lead like ducklings following their mom – with Dahyun being the mom in question.

Before the little girl runs straight into Dahyun’s knee, Dahyun lifts her off the ground and hoists her over her shoulders, bursting into laughter as the girl giggles and ruffles her hair.

“Hey, not the hair!” Dahyun protests half-heartedly, her broad, crooked grin the brightest and happiest Mina has seen from her so far.

Mina giggles as the other kids form a circle around Dahyun, their eyes sparkling as they look up at Dahyun with what can only be described as pure admiration. The way the corners of Dahyun’s eyes crinkle into happy, half-crescents causes Mina’s heart to flutter in a funny, yet pleasant way; her cheeks turning pink when she realizes she might have been staring at Dahyun longer than necessary.

Thankfully, Dahyun is preoccupied with entertaining the other kids to notice this, but just to be safe, Mina decides to tear her gaze away. Just as she does, she feels someone tug at her sweatpants, and Mina glances down to find a small boy shyly peering up at her.

With a warm smile, Mina crouches down and softly greets, “Hi there.”

“Hi…” the boy whispers, his eyes darting towards the little girl Dahyun is carrying on her shoulders for a moment before looking back at Mina.

“Do you also want Captain Dahyun to carry you?” Mina asks.

The boy hesitates at first, then nods. “But she might have a hard time if she carries me, too…”

“She might, won’t she?” Mina agrees with a smile. She misses the soft glance Dahyun sends her way as she pats the boy’s head and continues, “You’re very sweet and thoughtful for not wanting Captain Dahyun to have a hard time.”

The boy blushes and whispers, “Thank you…”

“I wish I could carry you, too, but I’m not as strong as Captain Dahyun is,” Mina says with a chuckle.

Dahyun must have heard everything, as she carefully sets the little girl on her shoulders back on the ground and ruffles the boy’s hair. “Do you want a turn, too?” she asks with a fond smile.

“Can I?” the boy asks with wide eyes.

“Of course!” Dahyun affirms, making a show out of flexing her biceps.

Mina clamps a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles, which earns her another broad grin from Dahyun. The little boy gasps in awe when Dahyun hoists him over her shoulders with ease, reminding Mina of the times when her dad would do the same thing with her back when she was a kid.

“You okay there?” Dahyun asks the boy.

“Mmhmm!” the boy nods his head vigorously, a wide, toothy smile breaking across his face as he says, “I want to be just like you when I grow up.”

“Yeah?” Dahyun laughs. “You want to be a soldier, too?”

“Yep!” the boy pops out, face shining with admiration as he grins down at Dahyun. “I’ll be a nice soldier like you!”

A touch of tenderness crosses Dahyun’s expression as she lowers him back onto the ground, the crinkling of her eyes softening into gentler half-crescents. Out of all the softer smiles Mina has seen so far from Dahyun, this one is less pained, less reserved, somehow.

Mina wonders what it would take to get Dahyun to wear this one more often.

Before she can dwell on the thought any further, she feels another tug on her sweatpants. It’s the little girl Dahyun carried on her shoulders a while ago, peering up at Mina with a wide-eyed gaze.

“You’re so pretty,” the girl whisper-shouts, which both gets Dahyun’s attention and causes Mina to flush at the same time. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Mina,” Mina answers, cheeks still tinged red.

Then, with a cheeky grin that puffs out her cheeks, the little girl peers at Dahyun and singsongs, “Don’t you think Mina-unnie is pretty, Captain Dahyun?”

To say that Dahyun is caught off guard by the unexpected question would be the understatement of the century. Flabbergasted would sound more accurate, and it’s made even worse because of the children staring expectantly at her while they wait for an answer.

Even Mina is too stunned to be amused by the fact that the level-headed Kim Dahyun has lost her composure because of a kid’s mischief.

While Dahyun struggles to compose herself, the girl looks back at Mina and asks, “Do you like Captain Dahyun, Mina-unnie?”

Mina turns beet red, blushing all the way to the tips of her ears as she scrambles for an answer herself. “I- that’s- she’s nice,” is what she blurts out in response.

She badly wants to smack herself for that one.

To think that she could handle intimidating businessmen without so much as breaking a sweat, but then a small girl asking her out of the blue if she likes Dahyun is suddenly enough to reduce Mina into a stammering mess – almost as if she’s a nervous, giddy high school girl about to confess to her crush.

God. There she goes again with that analogy. Not that there’s even _going_ to be a confession that’s going to happen anytime soon, or ever.

Okay, _now_ she sounds like she does see Dahyun that way. She really should shut her brain down before it goes down that slippery slope.

And for a captain, Dahyun doesn’t seem any better herself, though she’s more frozen in place than fumbling over her words like Mina is.

Then again, it isn’t like Mina is in any position to judge because she’s just as bad herself, if not worse.

Thankfully, Dahyun comes to her rescue (which Mina notices has now become a repeated occurrence for them), by narrowing her eyes and saying, “Oh, is that what they teach you at school now? Don’t you think you’re too young to be talking about these kinds of things, huh, little missy?”

At the sight of Dahyun’s playful, threatening glare the little girl makes a noise that sounds like a cross between a yelp and a squeal and starts to back away. “Everybody, run! Captain Dahyun is mad!” she yells as she takes off running, the other children quick to follow suit.

Dahyun sighs and shakes her head fondly, watching as they scamper away as fast as their small legs would allow them to.

“Jeez, they’re always such a handful,” Dahyun mutters to herself. She then turns to Mina and sheepishly scratches at the back of her head. “Sorry about that, by the way. I mean, you know how kids are,” she adds with a bit of an awkward laugh.

“Yeah, they say the darndest things sometimes,” Mina agrees, grinning. “But-“ she reaches out to squeeze Dahyun’s arm, a teasing smile quirking at the corners of her lips as she holds Dahyun’s gaze and continues, “-I have to admit, I’m curious. Do you think I’m pretty?”

A strangled noise catches at the back of Dahyun’s throat at Mina’s blatant flirting, which she tries to mask with a cough.

“Just kidding,” Mina says through giggles, letting go of Dahyun’s arm. Dahyun coughs again and puts her hands in her pockets, mumbling something Mina is unable to decipher. “Sorry, what was that?”

“Nothing,” Dahyun deflects, much to Mina’s growing amusement. “It’s nothing.”

Mina finds it amusing, how Dahyun can be a good _and_ a bad liar at the same time, depending on the situation.

Deciding that Dahyun has been subjected to enough teasing, Mina changes the subject. “You’re really good with kids,” she compliments Dahyun. “I can see that they love you a lot.”

“You’re pretty good with them, too,” Dahyun answers, chuckling. “I mean, that boy that came up to you? He’s actually very shy, so it’s rare for him to be the first to talk to someone.”

“Really?” Mina asks, surprised.

“Yeah. I think he sensed that you’re a good person, so I’m sure that’s why he felt comfortable enough to go to you. With all the kids I’ve been able to meet, I noticed that a lot of them have a knack for being able to tell if a person has a good heart, and he’s definitely one of them.”

“You’re right about that,” Mina agrees. “My parents used to tell me the same thing, too, so I always kept that in mind back when I was teaching.”

“Wait, you’re a teacher?”

“Well, not a school teacher,” Mina says with a quiet laugh. “But I did teach ballet before, yes.”

“Wow.” Dahyun whistles, impressed. “How long have you been doing ballet?”

Mina hums thoughtfully and answers, “Since I was eleven, then I chose to become dance major back in college and learned other styles of dancing.”

“So, you’ve always wanted to dance?”

“I have, yes.”

“You must really love dancing, then,” Dahyun says with a wistful smile.

Mina chuckles and nods, thinking back on her first ballet lesson. Her teacher, Miss Lee, was a gentle soul who wanted to share her love for ballet through teaching anyone who showed interest in the art – a love and passion Mina felt that first day in the studio and still feels until now.

“I do, a lot. I guess you could even say it’s my first love…” Mina murmurs, a hint of emotion and nostalgia touching her voice. Then, too curious now to stop herself, she glances at Dahyun and softly asks, “What about you? Have you always wanted to be a soldier?”

Sucking in her lower lip, Dahyun pushes her hands deeper into her pockets and murmurs, “No, not always…” she then shakes her head and gives Mina a slight smile. “I guess you could say there’s been a change in plans.”

Dahyun doesn’t offer anything more than that, her gaze dropping to the ground as she falls quiet again. The faraway look in her eyes from earlier returns, and the way she presses her lips into a thin line gives Mina the impression that it might be a sensitive topic; so, Mina decides not to pry any further.

Instead, she reaches out to touch Dahyun’s wrist, and Mina tries not to think of how it’s become a habit of hers to do things like this whenever Dahyun looks like she’s in need of comfort.

Then, like the soft glance Dahyun sent her way only moments earlier, the slight twitch and curl of her fingers towards Mina’s own wrist goes missed as well.

Mina chews on her lower lip, then, looking straight into Dahyun’s somber eyes, she whispers, “You’re a good person, too, Dahyun-ah…”

It’s worth it, Mina thinks to herself, when the clouds in Dahyun’s eyes break apart to let a little sunlight shine through.

\-----

Tzuyu sits in front of her guzheng inside her bedroom that morning, her gaze flickering to the dried flower petals of the orange tulips that lie inside of the frame that’s hung up on the wall. Even though it’s been years, she remembers the bright, blinding smile on Dahyun’s face as she offered Tzuyu the flowers like it was only yesterday.

_As she looks around the busy streets filled with people bustling about the market, Tzuyu finds her gaze landing on three girls standing off to the side, talking to each other in a language she doesn’t understand. She furrows her eyebrows while she tries to decipher what language it is, then eventually recognizes it as Japanese._

_One of the girls, a quiet-looking one, holds a single yellow tulip in her hand while the other two coo over her. Part of Tzuyu wishes she could understand what they’re talking about, until she realizes that it would be wrong to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations._

_Just as she finishes berating herself for being curious about some random strangers, Dahyun suddenly appears, wearing a crooked grin and holding some orange tulips in her hands._

_Tzuyu blinks, heart thrumming in her chest as she asks, “Dahyun-ah? Where did you get those from?”_

_“I got them from the flower shop down the street,” Dahyun answers, pointing at a small shop a few blocks away with an array of different kinds of flowers displayed outside. “And, uh, I wanted you to have these,” she adds with a small chuckle as she offers the flowers to Tzuyu._

_“O-oh.” Tzuyu feels her cheeks go warm as she takes the tulips, never having expected that Dahyun would run down the street just to buy her flowers. “Thank you, Dahyun-ah…”_

_Then, before she can chicken out, she leans forward and presses a light kiss against the corner of Dahyun’s mouth._

Tzuyu blinks herself out of the memory and pushes aside the feeling of longing that threatens to make itself known, her gaze lingering on the framed petals even as she positions her fingers over the strings.

She wonders if, like those dried petals, Dahyun kept the bookmark she gave her as thanks for the tulips. If, somehow, Dahyun listens to the recordings of her playing the guzheng - even if it’s only every now and then.

If, by any chance, she still crosses Dahyun’s mind despite the distance separating them and the many years they’ve been apart - even though it might not be as frequently as Tzuyu thinks of her.

Though with how things turned out before Dahyun left to enlist with the army, Tzuyu doubts that Dahyun still feels the same way about her before they went their separate ways. 

Even then, Tzuyu hopes and wishes Dahyun does, if only during the pauses that are scattered throughout Dahyun’s day.

But right now, she can only pray Dahyun hasn’t met someone else.

\-----

While Dahyun takes a shower, Mina shuffles over towards the bookshelf for what must be the nth time since she arrived here. By the foot of the shelf, Mina spies a small cardboard box with a half-opened lid, her curiosity taking over her as she crouches down so she can take a peek at its contents.

From what she’s able to make out, there’s an old digital camera, a pair of earphones, a portable CD player, and a few disc cases neatly stacked on top of each other lying inside the box. Mina knows she shouldn’t poke her nose into something that’s clearly personal to Dahyun; but she can’t stop herself from wondering if anything inside would help shed some light on what Dahyun told her earlier about her plans changing.

But just as she’s about to reach inside, she hears the bathroom door swing open, causing her to jump in surprise.

With her heart in her throat, Mina whirls around, looking like a deer caught in headlights when she finds Dahyun standing by the bathroom door. Then, to make matters worse, her traitorous eyes follow the droplets of water that trickle down Dahyun’s neck.

“S-sorry,” Mina apologizes in a rush, though she isn’t sure _what_ she’s saying sorry for. Is it for peeking at the box on Dahyun’s shelf, or for thinking about how attractive Dahyun looks fresh out of the shower?

She honestly can’t tell, but just to be safe, maybe she should apologize for both.

“Sorry?” Dahyun repeats, confused. “For what?”

_For staring at you because you look so good right now._

Mina shakes the thought away and blurts out, “I- I didn’t mean to pry. But I promise I didn’t touch or take anything from inside!”

Great. Now she sounds like a person being accused of shoplifting.

“Inside…?” Dahyun furrows her eyebrows, then glances over Mina’s shoulder and at the box lying on the floor. “Oh, that one,” she says with a laugh. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

Mina frowns. “Are you- are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Dahyun nods and walks over to the shelf, then crouches down beside the box. She rummages around inside and takes out the CD player and a disc, then brushes off the dust before handing them over to Mina. “To be honest, I haven’t touched these in a while, but I think the batteries are still fine so you can try them out.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Of course,” Dahyun answers, smile warm as she gently pushes the CD player and the disc cases into Mina’s hands. Mina pushes down the funny knot that forms in her stomach when their fingers brush. “You can listen to them with Jihyo, too.” Then, with her voice dropping to a whisper, she says to herself, “I don’t think she would mind, either.”

Something tells Mina she wasn’t meant to hear the last part, though now that she thinks about it, the thought that there could be someone waiting for Dahyun to come back home never really crossed her mind.

And even though it shouldn’t, it causes Mina to feel a distant ache in her chest.

But even when Dahyun lets go of her hand, she still doesn’t look away, her gaze deep and searching and filled with a quiet intensity that causes Mina’s throat to go dry and her heart to falter.

And the longer Mina looks into Dahyun’s eyes, the more she feels as though she’s taking a step closer towards the edge of a cliff, ready to fall off the brink at any given moment.

But that isn’t even the crazy part.

Because what’s crazy is Mina has a feeling that Dahyun won’t let her fall.

It doesn’t make sense, she knows, because how other people would normally finish that thought is by saying that they would fall down that cliff at breakneck speed; with no one and nothing to stop or slow down their rapid descent into the dark depths found below.

If anything, Mina is sure that Dahyun would pull her away from the edge and back to safety instead.

Just like when Dahyun guided her away from the turbulent waters that her plane crashed into.

Dahyun’s gaze is unwavering, and it’s only when she exhales a beat later and takes a step back that Mina is broken out of her trance.

Mina’s only thought then is a tiny whisper, which, given the weight of the realization it carries, suddenly doesn’t seem all that small anymore:

_She likes Dahyun._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really loved writing the part with Mihyun and the kids, it's just so cute and adorable imagining them getting along so well with little kids <3
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I'd love to hear what you guys think down in the comments!


	5. all the moments you blossomed before me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, we're back for chapter five! Thank you for looking forward to each chapter and for all the amazing comments! I really appreciate it :D
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> P.S. title of this fic taken from All Of My Days by Sejeong

The thing about books, Dahyun thinks, is that she can skip a few pages ahead or even all the way to the very end if she wants to find out what happens next from a certain point in the story. Plots are fixed, the words printed on paper permanent, and the characters’ decisions are unchangeable.

But Mina is none of these things.

She’s unpredictable, attentive, sweet, beautiful, and downright _terrifying._

She can be quiet and serene, or giggly and teasing. She can wake up late one morning, then change that and wake up at an earlier time.

Or, she can be simply gazing at Dahyun one second with those warm, brown eyes of hers, then reaching out to touch her the next.

Mina is unpredictable, because her crashing into Dahyun’s life out of the blue one night is something Dahyun never would have imagined happening in a million years. And it’s exactly this and everything else about her that scares Dahyun.

 _Myoui Mina_ frightens Dahyun to no end; because if she could just come hurtling into her world like that without warning, then only God knows what other unexpected things Mina is capable of saying or doing that could turn anything and everything else upside down.

And as much as Dahyun wants Mina to be a book, it’s one thing that would never happen.

This is reality, and every moment, everything else that happens rests partly on Dahyun’s shoulders – on her _own_ choices and decisions. Nothing is set in stone for her, for _them_ – except for the fact that Mina is leaving soon to go back to her old life while Dahyun goes back to hers.

But what happens before then is out of Dahyun’s hands, because Mina, too, has her own choices to make. Because for some unknown reason, the universe decided it was a good idea to throw their lives together and intertwine any and all decisions they might make while they’re together.

This isn’t a book Dahyun can close and shelf when she wants to take a breather, and Mina isn’t a character Dahyun can easily push away into a corner of her mind and remember only after she’s opened the book again.

Because Mina is, for better or for worse, a reality Dahyun can’t shake off or push into her shelf.

And even more terrifying still is the fact that Dahyun can’t bring herself to look away from those wide eyes that stare back at her.

It’s as if Mina has come to realize something with the way her lips part a mere split second after, giving Dahyun this overwhelming feeling that it might be related to her.

Before the sensation can completely overpower her, Dahyun decides it best to breathe out and take a step back. The moment she does, Mina releases a shuddery exhale of her own, like she was just broken out of a spell.

But most terrifying of all, Dahyun thinks, is how Mina has become a source of comfort to her; her smiles and the teasing glint in her eyes a burst of color that chases away the clouds of loneliness hanging over Dahyun’s head.

Dahyun knows she shouldn’t get too attached to Mina—today more so than ever—because in less than twenty-four hours, Mina would step foot on that boat and inevitably leave like she was meant to from the very beginning.

And yet, it isn’t enough to stop Dahyun from feeling as though Mina herself is a calm lake on a summer day; her presence akin to clear, tranquil waters amidst the turbulent oceans Dahyun has been drowning in for the past how many years.

Then, as Mina narrows the gap between them again, tentatively lifting her hand to Dahyun’s face before lowering it at the last second to rest on her arm instead, Dahyun no longer feels as terrified of Mina as she was mere moments earlier.

If anything, she breathes a little easier and feels a lot lighter.

Then, as if to further prove Dahyun’s point about her always doing and saying the unexpected, Mina smiles and warmly says, “I’ll cook breakfast this time, okay?”

To Mina’s confusion, Dahyun laughs and shakes her head.

“What?” Mina asks with a small pout. _Cute,_ Dahyun thinks. “Do you think I can’t cook? Is that it?”

“No, that’s not it,” Dahyun reassures her. When Mina gives her a dubious look, she laughs again and cracks a grin. “Unless you really can’t.”

Mina raises an eyebrow and narrows her eyes at Dahyun. “Is that a challenge, Captain?”

Dahyun feels her skin tingle at that. There’s a fire in Mina’s eyes that draws her in, but not like a moth to a flame or like Icarus to the sun, doomed to have their wings burned and their entire being consumed by the embers.

No.

Mina is… _warm_. Easy to be around with.

Maybe that’s why she’s comfortable exchanging banter with Mina like this, as if they’ve known each other for a long time instead of a mere few days.

“Sure, if you want it to be,” is what Dahyun answers as she leans against the bookshelf.

Mina snorts and brushes past her, the faint scent of jasmine whipping along with her sudden, brisk movement. Dahyun bites back a laugh, because to think that Mina _actually_ snorted.

At this point, everything unexpected Mina does is a nice surprise to Dahyun.

“Oh, by the way,” Mina suddenly says, turning around to glance at Dahyun, “do you have anything I can use to tie my hair with?”

“Would a handkerchief do the trick?”

“Yes, that would be perfect.”

Dahyun nods and pushes herself off from where she leans against the shelf, unaware of Mina’s eyes following her as she retreats into the bedroom. From the cabinet, she takes out a yellow handkerchief that’s placed next to a simple white one, then shuffles back into the kitchen.

Mina then turns around, back facing Dahyun, and softly asks, “Can you help me tie my hair?”

Heart jumping to her throat, all Dahyun manages to say is a quiet, mumbled, “Yeah,” as she carefully runs her fingers through Mina’s hair.

It’s only when Mina leans back slightly against her does the gravity and intimacy of the situation hit Dahyun like a tsunami. Though faint, the scent of jasmine that lingers on Mina’s neck is almost enough to overpower Dahyun’s senses. She could even swear some of it clings to Mina’s hair, but she doesn’t dare find out for herself to confirm this.

Mina’s hair, soft and smooth to the touch, glides through the spaces between Dahyun’s fingers with ease. Try as Dahyun might to maintain her composure, the loud, erratic pounding of her heart against her ribcage betrays her.

To her relief, Mina chooses to break the silence right at that very moment, giving Dahyun the chance to focus on something else that isn’t her own, thundering heartbeat.

“You know,” Mina muses as Dahyun begins to wrap the handkerchief around her hair, “a random stranger gave me a flower one time while I was on vacation.”

Dahyun doesn’t know what brought this on, but she’s grateful for the distraction nonetheless.

“Yeah?” Dahyun ties the first knot, making sure no loose strands of hair escape as she does. “They must have been really nice to do that.”

“She was,” Mina agrees with a hum. Dahyun resists the urge to comb her fingers through Mina’s hair. “I wish I was able to give her something in return, though,” she then adds regretfully.

“Now that you mention it, I also gave this random girl a flower once when I was on vacation, too,” Dahyun says with a chuckle as she ties the second knot.

“Oh, you’re a charming one, aren’t you?” Mina teases. “So, how many unknown girls have you given flowers to?”

“Just the one, actually,” Dahyun admits.

Once she’s secured the handkerchief around Mina’s hair, Mina turns around, a playful glint in her eyes and as she lightheartedly says, “Then, wouldn’t it be funny if you were the one who gave me that flower? I mean, imagine how crazy that would be, right?”

Dahyun laughs in agreement, though her heart races at the possibility that _it could_ have been Mina she gave that yellow tulip all those years ago. But there’s no way – not with the thousands of places there are and the billions of people that exist all around the world.

For her and Mina’s paths to have somehow crossed in Switzerland despite those odds?

The universe would have had to pull a lot of crazy tricks for that to happen.

But would she mind if it turned out to be true?

Maybe not. At the same time, however, she would feel guilty for not remembering if Mina really was the girl Dahyun encountered in that cozy flower shop. It’s just that so much has happened since that trip that she has yet to move past from, even coming to the point where she doubted she ever would.

Still, she decides to keep the thought to herself and instead tells Mina, “If that’s the case, then it would be the craziest thing I’ve ever realized in my entire life,” with a slight shake of the head.

“Right?” Mina giggles, the sound light and freeing it brings a smile to Dahyun’s face. With her hair put up in a ponytail, she looks younger than she is, the roundness of her cheeks more prominent now that there’s nothing to hide them from view. “But I think it’s the kind of crazy I’d be willing to embrace.”

Mina reaches out to take both Dahyun’s hands in hers as she says this, any hint of playfulness from earlier now gone and replaced by a tenderness that mends the cracks Dahyun has struggled to seal all on her own.

“So, then,” Mina starts to say, lips curving in a way like she just thought of a joke, “how do you like your eggs cooked, Captain?”

Dahyun blinks once, then bursts out laughing. Mina sure loves keeping her on her toes, and Dahyun finds that she doesn’t mind. Not even one bit.

Mina’s answer plays inside her head then, and, with a grin, Dahyun says, “I like mine on the well-cooked side, too.”

Face breaking into a wide, gummy grin, Mina squeezes Dahyun’s hands twice before easing her grasp. “Got it.”

When Mina takes a step back and turns around, Dahyun has to hold back the urge to reach out and take her hands and pull her into her arms. To see what it would feel like to have Mina in her embrace. To know what it would be like to have Mina’s head on her chest, if only at least once.

And maybe, just maybe, Jeongyeon, Nayeon, and Chaeyoung were right.

Maybe a lot has already happened in four days, without Dahyun even realizing it.

\-----

“Dahyun let you borrow these?” Jihyo asks, stunned, as Mina sets down the disc cases and the CD player on the table.

“Yeah…” Mina answers absentmindedly, studying the cases which all have handwritten labels written across the front. As far as she can tell, the handwriting seems to be the same for each one. She picks one out and asks, “Is this Dahyun’s handwriting?”

Jihyo furrows her eyebrows as she examines the writing, then shakes her head. “No, but the handwriting looks familiar… I just can’t put a finger on it.”

Mina pushes her tongue against her cheek and reads through the rest of the labels. There’s one that says _for when you can’t sleep;_ then another that goes, _for when you miss home;_ and then one more which reads _for when you feel lonely_.

The more Mina reads, the more she realizes that they must be incredibly personal to Dahyun. Whoever took the time to do these recordings must care a great deal about Dahyun, because Mina can’t think of any other reason as to why anyone would go through such lengths.

_I don’t think she would mind, either._

Mina bites down on her lower lip. Whoever _she_ is, they must mean a lot to Dahyun, too, if the fact that Dahyun brought these along with her and kept them safe until now is anything to go by.

As she reaches for the last case that she read off of, Mina thinks of Dahyun sitting alone in the kitchen and staring out the window, then of her pained smiles and the deep-seated loneliness lurking beneath warm, brown eyes.

Unsure what to expect but at the same time curious, Mina opens the lid of the CD player and slots the disc inside, then hits play. Music then starts to play, the melody upbeat and uplifting in a way that reminds Mina of the sun shining again after heavy showers of rain.

The instrument being played is a stringed one and traditional-sounding, that much Mina can tell; but other than that, it’s completely unfamiliar to her.

“Jeongyeon,” Jihyo suddenly whispers in recognition, surprising Mina.

“Jeongyeon?” Mina repeats, confused. “Wait, are these from her?”

“No,” Jihyo answers with a shake of the head, a small frown tugging down on her lips, “but I found her listening to something like this before. I never knew Dahyun had them, too, though… Jeongyeon never mentioned that Dahyun did. All she told me was that a close friend of hers gave them to her before she enlisted in the army.”

“So… Jeongyeon and Dahyun already knew each other before they joined the army?” Mina muses out loud, eyebrows furrowed.

“It looks like it,” Jihyo answers, looking just as stunned as Mina is. She then pauses, contemplative, before adding, “The two of them have always been close, but I always thought it was just because they clicked well.”

Mina feels her head start to swim from the newfound revelation. She has to take a moment to process everything she just heard—to try and fit the pieces together in such a way that makes sense.

But every time, her thoughts keep drifting back to what Dahyun’s relationship to the person behind these recordings could be. If Dahyun is or _was_ in a relationship with this person.

Because the more Mina listens to the recording, it becomes clearer that whoever this person could be poured their entire heart and soul into playing—convincing Mina that their feelings for Dahyun must run deep.

\-----

_A sense of relief and finality settles within Jeongyeon as she zips up the last of her bags, letting her eyes wander across her room to take everything in one last time. The posters hanging on her wall; her computer pushed against one corner; and finally, the framed photo of her, Dahyun, and Tzuyu from their trip to Switzerland that sits on her desk._

_In the picture, Dahyun stands in the middle of Jeongyeon and Tzuyu, her right arm wrapped around Tzuyu’s waist while her left is slung across Jeongyeon’s shoulder._

_Jeongyeon swallows the lump in her throat as she picks up the frame and looks at the bright smiles and shining eyes that stare back at her, wishing nothing more than to be able to go back to that time and stay there._

_It’s a sentiment Tzuyu seems to share, as she breaks the silence by asking in a soft, fragile voice, “You really can’t stop her from going?”_

_Steeling herself for the inevitable look of heartache that would be sure to greet her, Jeongyeon sets the picture frame back down and slowly turns around to face Tzuyu who sits on the edge of her bed; head hanging low and lips trembling from the effort of keeping the tears at bay._

_There’s a big part of Jeongyeon that wants to draw Tzuyu in for a hug; to hold her tight in hopes that it would help hold her together for a little while. Until she remembers that it isn’t her that Tzuyu wants—not in that way, at least._

_So, Jeongyeon settles for sitting down beside Tzuyu and brings her head to her shoulder, then whispers, “I’m sorry, Tzu… I tried my best, I really did, but she won’t listen.”_

_Tzuyu exhales a deep, shuddery breath and gives a small nod, while Jeongyeon rubs her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her._

_“I just-“ Tzuyu pauses to swallow, then mumbles, “-I don’t get why she wants to leave. Or why she feels like she has to. I wish she’d-“ her voice cracks a little, and Jeongyeon already knows what she’s about to say next. “I wish she’d stay.”_

_Jeongyeon glances at her bags and bites down on the inside of her cheek, wondering if she could have done something more—if she could have thought of an actual compelling reason to convince Dahyun to stay instead._

_But she couldn’t._

_She couldn’t, and in a few days, she and Dahyun would be leaving due to a drastic change in plans._

_And as for Tzuyu…_

_Jeongyeon isn’t sure what’s going to become of the three of them after this. If the choices they make would lead them back to how they were before._

_If, somehow, Dahyun and Tzuyu would still be able to find their way back to each other._

_“I’ll look after her,” Jeongyeon promises. “I’ll make sure she’ll be fine—that we’ll both be fine, no matter what. So just wait for us, okay?”_

_This seems to give Tzuyu a little bit of faith, as she nods and whispers, “Okay… thank you, Jeongyeon…”_

_Jeongyeon offers Tzuyu a faint smile and squeezes her hand, not knowing that telling Tzuyu to wait was the wrong thing to say then._

_Maybe if she did, she would have chosen her words more carefully so as not to give Tzuyu false hope by keeping her hanging by a thread._

\-----

Ever since Mina came, Jeongyeon noticed that there’s been a shift in Dahyun’s behavior. There’s a lightness in the way she moves that hasn’t been there in a long while, and her eyes smile more often, too. It’s as if she finally found something good to look forward to again—like she found the rainbow and the sunshine after the rain.

At first, Jeongyeon tried not to read too much into it, until she happened to see Dahyun and Mina walking together earlier that morning. And then there was the way Dahyun _looked_ at Mina—almost as though she couldn’t see anything or anyone else while Mina was distracted talking with a little boy; then the way Mina giggled and _squeezed_ Dahyun’s arm.

It was then that Jeongyeon realized how big of a mistake it might have been on her part when she told Tzuyu to wait for them. Though she can’t explain why, it feels as if there are bigger forces at play behind Dahyun and Mina’s chance meeting.

Forces strong enough to be able to pull fate’s strings as they so please.

“I let Mina borrow the recordings Tzuyu gave me.”

Jeongyeon is snapped out of her daze by Dahyun’s sudden, unexpected question. More than Dahyun calling her by her nickname, it’s the sudden mention of Tzuyu’s name that shocks Jeongyeon enough to jerk back to full attention.

“You- what?” Jeongyeon stammers with wide eyes. She isn’t sure which one she should process first—if it’s Dahyun mentioning Tzuyu for the first time in a while, or the fact that Dahyun let Mina borrow the guzheng recordings Tzuyu gave her. “Wait, don’t you still listen to them?”

A conflicted expression shadows Dahyun’s face at the question, along with a flicker of guilt that makes Jeongyeon’s stomach drop. Though she already knows what’s about to come next, it doesn’t mean that it makes her feel any less conflicted herself.

Dahyun runs a hand through her hair and purses her lips. “I haven’t in a while,” she confesses in a heavy whisper. “Don’t get me wrong, Jeong, it isn’t because I no longer care about her. It’s just-“

“-something changed, didn’t it?” Jeongyeon finishes, throat constricting. “All this time we’ve been away from her, something changed.”

 _For you,_ Jeongyeon almost adds, but decides to keep it to herself.

Jeongyeon isn’t naïve. Of course, the possibility of Dahyun’s feelings for Tzuyu fading was an outcome she thought might happen, but fervently prayed wouldn’t. Even now, when Dahyun gives a small, slow nod as an answer, Jeongyeon still finds herself unable to believe it.

“How do you feel about Mina?”

She didn’t mean for the words to slip out, but there’s no taking them back now that they’ve been said. And Jeongyeon needs to know Dahyun’s answer—needs to know if she was wrong for asking Tzuyu to wait all those years ago.

“She’s leaving tomorrow,” is all Dahyun says, but the hitch in her voice and the way her eyes flicker with emotion are more than enough of an answer. “But the least I can do is make sure she’s comfortable until she leaves.”

By this point, it’s painfully clear that Dahyun cares about Mina more than she would allow herself to admit. Jeongyeon can see it in her eyes; can hear it in the way Dahyun speaks so carefully so as not to reveal too much about how she truly feels.

And Jeongyeon arrives at the answer to her own question then:

She _did_ make a colossal mistake by telling Tzuyu to wait.

And she doesn’t know what the hell she’s going to do about it.

\-----

Dahyun _cannot_ believe this.

It’s just a gash—a _gash_ —for crying out loud! But Nayeon and Chaeyoung act like it’s much worse than it is when they grab her by the wrists and start dragging her towards the clinic.

Still, she isn’t stupid. She knows the exact reason why they insisted on bringing her there even though there isn’t any need to.

“It’s just a gash!” Dahyun exclaims for the nth time in exasperation.

“Yeah, but it’s a pretty long one!” Chaeyoung points out, sounding oddly cheerful for someone who should be ‘concerned’ over Dahyun having a wound. Then, to Jeongyeon, she asks, “Right, Jeong?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah, it’s kinda big,” Jeongyeon answers.

Meanwhile, Nayeon gives her a light nudge and coaxes, “C’mon Cap, you don’t want that getting infected, do you?”

“Oh, for the love of-“ Dahyun pauses to groan, then exhales sharply through her nose before she continues to protest, “-we have a first aid kit! You didn’t have to drag me all the way out here!”

“Aww, Cap don’t be like that, we’re just looking out for you as your troops, you know?” Nayeon chirps.

Dahyun gives her a pointed look, then says, “Don’t give me that. You just want to see Jihyo.”

“Wha- that’s-“ Nayeon stammers, but is unable to finish as the door to the clinic suddenly swings open, revealing an annoyed-looking Jihyo.

The four whip their heads towards Jihyo in perfect sync, Nayeon’s jaw falling open and a strangled noise catching at the back of her throat as she stares at Jihyo with wide eyes. Inside the clinic, Mina bursts into a fit of giggles, and Dahyun almost forgets the sting in her arm when she hears the sound.

“The four of you,” Jihyo starts to say, glaring at each of them, “need to shut up. What if there was a patient inside and they couldn’t even rest because of all the ruckus you’re making?”

To Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon’s amusement, Nayeon is the quickest to fold by hanging her head and mumbling her apologies. Jeongyeon even makes a noise that sounds like the cackling of a whip, but falls silent again when Jihyo shoots her a glare.

“Sorry about that,” Dahyun apologizes, her gaze flickering over Jihyo’s shoulder to find Mina’s eyes.

When Mina smiles at her, Dahyun is reminded once again of why it’s near impossible to get her out of her head; one of the reasons being that she can still feel the curl of Mina’s fingers around her arm until now. Then, when she blinks, she sees Mina’s wide, gummy smile and hears her light, flirty giggles echo inside of her own head.

Most of all, when she scratches her cheek, she thinks of how Mina almost _touched_ her face; thinks of how it would feel like if Mina were to take her face between her hands.

Too preoccupied with the sight of Mina, Dahyun doesn’t notice the smirk that crosses Jihyo’s face when she calls out for Mina.

“Mina, would you mind taking care of our patient?” Jihyo says sweetly and with a hint of mischief.

Before Mina could even answer, Nayeon has already pushed Dahyun forward and Jihyo has closed the curtains, leaving Dahyun alone with Mina.

“What happened?” Mina asks, eyes shining with concern as she guides Dahyun to sit down.

“I, uh-“ Dahyun pauses to swallow, then mumbles, “-my sleeve got caught on a piece of wood…”

Considering all the other injuries she’s sustained before, having a piece of wood cut through her skin is by far the least painful one she’s gotten. She could even compare it to an ant’s bite; but Dahyun chooses not to say this out loud, because she’s sure Mina knows this, too.

Dahyun clears her throat in an attempt to compose herself when Mina touches her hand and takes a closer look at the gash running along Dahyun’s arm. “It doesn’t look deep, so I’ll just clean the wound and put a bandage over it,” Mina tells her softly.

“Okay,” Dahyun breathes out.

With a smile, Mina squeezes her hand, the tips of her fingers brushing along Dahyun’s knuckles as she pulls back. Whether it’s on purpose or not, Dahyun can’t tell, but she doesn’t mind if it is.

As Mina starts to clean her wound, Jeongyeon’s question from earlier rings inside her head.

_How do you feel about Mina?_

Dahyun tosses and turns it over inside her head for a while, thinking of the best way to answer that question if she were to be completely honest with herself.

Though, truth be told, it’s near impossible to put into words everything that Mina makes her feel. But if she were to try, Dahyun would say that Mina fills the quiet, lonely spaces in her life with every little thing that she does.

Whether it be as something as simple as the quiet thud of her footsteps as she pads across the floor; the fascination in her eyes while she reverently runs her fingers over the books on Dahyun’s shelf; or the way her eyes crinkle when she giggles—Dahyun can say without a shadow of a doubt that Mina fills those empty spaces and scattered, sometimes unwelcome pauses in her life.

“I listened to the CDs,” Mina murmurs as she wraps the bandage around Dahyun’s arm. “The instrument sounded beautiful…”

The memory of Tzuyu, with her hair tied back and her hands plucking the guzheng’s strings, flash across Dahyun’s head in that moment. She doesn’t think she’ll ever forget how Tzuyu looked so beautiful then, but Jeongyeon was right for saying that something changed in the time they’ve been apart.

“It’s a guzheng,” Dahyun finds herself answering, drawing Mina’s gaze back to her.

A few strands of hair fall past Mina’s face then, and, without thinking, Dahyun reaches out to brush them away; her thumb ghosting hesitantly over Mina’s cheek for a moment before she pulls her hand away.

“It’s a traditional Chinese instrument,” Dahyun goes on to say, her eyes still on Mina’s, thinking that things are still changing then. “Someone close plays it, but I haven’t listened to them in a while…”

“Do you play it, too?”

“No, but I played something else,” Dahyun admits. At Mina’s curious gaze, she takes a deep breath, then adds, “I played the piano.”

“Oh!” Mina’s eyes light up in excitement. “I do ballet and I’ve danced to a lot of piano pieces.”

Mina looks much too thrilled at the piece of news that Dahyun doesn’t have the heart to tell her the whole truth. Or to at least say that she stopped playing a long time ago and hasn’t touched the piano ever since.

Most of all, how the last one she played wasn’t even here in her home country, but in Switzerland where she left everything including her old self behind.

\-----

_If this is going to be the last time she ever presses down on these keys, Dahyun thinks she might as well do it in a place this beautiful—with the tulips blossoming all around her and where the sun shines this bright on everything its golden rays touch._

_After she takes a deep, steadying breath, Dahyun moves her hands across the keys, feeling her heart mend and ache both at the same time with every note that resounds in the open air. Behind her, Jeongyeon and Tzuyu watch on in silence; watch as Dahyun leaves more pieces of herself as the piece she wrote draws nearer and nearer to its end._

_With her eyes on the keys laid out in front of her, Dahyun doesn’t notice the arrival of three more girls; doesn’t notice how one of them in particular seems more drawn to the melody than the rest of the crowd._

_Doesn’t notice that it’s the girl she gave the yellow tulip to._

\-----

“What’s taking you two so long in there?!”

Jihyo’s loud, booming voice snaps Dahyun out of her trance; Mina’s cheeks burning a bright red as she drops Dahyun’s hand.

“W-we’re done!” Mina manages to squeak out, the sound so tiny and cute Dahyun can’t help but laugh despite the weight of her memories just moments earlier.

“Sorry,” Dahyun apologizes as she rolls down her sleeve and stands up. “We didn’t mean to bother you. I was going to take care of it myself, but those three idiots wouldn’t have it,” she adds with a roll of her eyes as she jerks her thumb towards the curtain.

“Oh, no, it isn’t a bother at all,” Mina reassures her. “You’ve already done so much for me, Dahyun-ah, so it’s the least I could do to thank you.”

Dahyun fights off the urge to say that Mina, too, has already done so much for her in return by simply being there and talking with her. Instead, she stands and salutes Mina, which causes Mina to giggle.

“See you later, Mina.”

Mina grins and returns the salute. “See you later, Captain.”

Dahyun then draws the curtains back and steps out into the waiting area with Mina, where she’s met with knowing smirks from Jihyo, Chaeyoung, and Nayeon, which Dahyun pretends not to see. Jeongyeon, on the other hand, glances back and forth between her and Mina, but makes no comment otherwise.

“Finally,” Jihyo says in a teasing tone directed towards the two of them, “we thought you already held our dear captain hostage, Mina.”

“Well, I don’t think I’d call it being ‘held hostage’ if Cap over here is willing to stay,” Nayeon says cheerily.

“Oh? And who was it that dragged me all the way out here again?” Dahyun retorts, her expression stern and commanding.

Nayeon makes a strangled noise of protest, then blurts out, “Wha- Chaeyoung was in on it, too, you know!”

In her disbelief, Chaeyoung jumps from her seat and cries out, “Hey! Do I need to remind you that it was _your_ brilliant idea to bring Cap here when you saw that she got hurt!?”

Unfortunately for Nayeon, Jeongyeon also jumps on this opportunity to drag her deeper into the mud. “Yeah, but it’s because she wanted to see Jihyo.”

“What the hell!? That’s not the only reason I-“

By the time it dawns on Nayeon that she walked right into Jeongyeon’s trap, it’s already much too late. The damage has been done, and Nayeon has no other choice but to accept her fate. With a nervous laugh, Nayeon gulps and starts to back away.

Dahyun doesn’t say a word and stares Nayeon down, the weight of her gaze enough to make Nayeon shrink. Then, after what feels like an eternity to Nayeon, Dahyun starts to speak, her stern expression leaving no room for argument, “Sergeant Im, you get an additional five laps for tomorrow’s morning drills.”

Nayeon opens her mouth to speak, but then thinks better of it and chooses to nod. “Y-yes, Captain.”

“Now come on,” Dahyun commands. “We’ve bothered Mina and Jihyo enough.”

Dahyun then trudges outside, Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung following her lead while Nayeon lags behind. Jihyo grins and pulls Nayeon back by the wrist to plant a solid kiss on her cheek.

“I, who, wha-“ Nayeon stammers, the tips of her ears turning pink as Jihyo giggles into her ear before pushing her out the door.

“See you later, soldier,” is all Jihyo says to a dazed and widely grinning Nayeon.

Then, unbeknownst to Dahyun, Jihyo nods towards her retreating form while she smirks at a blushing Mina.

\-----

“Whoa, that smells so good!” Chaeyoung exclaims in awe as she leans over to look at the pan. “No, wait, it looks delicious, too!”

Dahyun chuckles and shakes her head as she pushes the pieces of chicken around. When she notices that Nayeon is on the verge of drooling, she says, “Don’t worry, I made sure there’s more than enough for everyone.”

Nayeon whoops and pumps a fist in triumph, and Jihyo rolls her eyes playfully in response.

They’re gathered around Jihyo’s kitchen, with Chaeyoung and Nayeon fussing over Dahyun’s cooking while Jeongyeon breads the uncooked pieces of chicken. Mina, on the other hand, is still a complete loss for words over Dahyun’s surprise, her eyes wide as she stares at Dahyun’s back.

She’s eaten at various restaurants in Seoul to try their different takes on fried chicken, but Mina doesn’t think she’s ever encountered a cooking this fragrant and heavenly before. So much so that, to her growing embarrassment, she even feels her stomach start to rumble.

To her relief, the sizzling of the pan and Nayeon’s excited praises seem to be loud enough to drown out the sound.

After a few minutes more, Dahyun finishes cooking and everyone settles down by the table, with Jihyo, Nayeon, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon taking their positions in such a way that leaves Dahyun no other choice but to sit beside Mina. As Dahyun takes her seat next to Mina, Jihyo wriggles her eyebrows and scoots closer to Nayeon as though telling Mina to follow her lead.

Mina gulps down a squeak when she feels Dahyun’s shoulder brush against hers, followed by a strangled gasp when their knees touch, too.

“Sorry it’s a bit cramped,” Dahyun apologizes with a sheepish smile.

Not trusting herself to speak without making some sort of odd noise, Mina simply returns the smile and shakes her head in reassurance. Jihyo still has that devious glint in her eye, and Mina musters the sharpest glare that she can while she tries to not to be flustered too much by the constant brushing of Dahyun’s arm and knee against her own.

“Before we start,” Dahyun says pointedly, expression unamused as Nayeon leans over the table to grab a piece of chicken from the plate. Nayeon laughs and sinks back into her seat, and Dahyun turns to Mina with a soft smile. “Isn’t there something you say in Japan before you eat, Mina?”

“Oh, uhm, yes,” Mina answers, stunned. “We say _itadakimasu_ before we eat, and _gochisousama_ after we’re done to show our appreciation.”

“Then, why don’t we try it out?” Dahyun suggests. Everyone else nods in agreement, and Mina feels her throat close up a little as they clap their hands together and murmur _itadakimasu_ in unison.

Afterwards, everyone gives way for Dahyun to grab some food; but instead of putting them on her own plate, she places two pieces of chicken in front of Mina instead. Nayeon’s jaw drops comically when Dahyun doesn’t stop there and goes on to pile some rice and an assortment of side dishes on Mina’s plate.

While Dahyun either doesn’t notice or ignores the shocked looks this earns her, Mina feels her cheeks burn as she watches the growing pile on her plate and protests, “D-Dahyun-ah! You should be going first!” while she gently tries to push Dahyun’s hand away.

“It’s fine,” Dahyun insists with a laugh. “You’re our guest, Mina.”

Dahyun is much too kind, much too thoughtful, that Mina just knows she’ll never find another one like Dahyun the moment she steps away from this place.

Nayeon and Chaeyoung turn to look at each other with matching alarmed expressions; Chaeyoung’s voice dropping to an urgent whisper as she goes, “Is the Captain okay? Was the wound she got earlier worse than we thought?”

“I don’t know, but she’s scaring me a lot more than when she’s dead serious,” Nayeon whispers back.

“Please,” Jihyo scoffs, pointing her chopsticks at an oblivious and widely-grinning Dahyun. “If you asked me to diagnose her right now, I’d say that our dear old captain came down with the classic lovesickness.”

Chaeyoung and Nayeon’s mouths fall open in a silent ‘oooh’ of recognition as they continue to observe Dahyun. Meanwhile, Jeongyeon looks as though she’s seen this behavior from Dahyun before and makes no comment.

Still, that doesn’t mean they look any less scared and awed when Dahyun swallows, seemingly waiting with bated breath as she watches Mina take the first bite form the chicken. Mina gasps at the crunch of the skin and the burst of flavor from the meat, her eyes sparkling as she turns to Dahyun.

Much to Dahyun’s relief, Mina breaks into a gummy grin and exclaims, “This is delicious!”

“Yeah?” Dahyun asks, scratching at her cheek in slight embarrassment. “You think so?”

Chaeyoung lets out a low whistle and comments, “Boy, does our captain have it bad,” when Dahyun smiles at Mina like they’re the only two people in the room.

“Really, _really_ bad,” Nayeon mutters in agreement, not believing what she’s seeing when Dahyun flushes at Mina’s praises over her cooking.

“This might be the worst case of lovesickness I’ve ever seen,” Jihyo remarks with a click of the tongue. “But to think I’d see it from _the_ Captain Kim Dahyun. Talk about the biggest plot twist of the century.”

Nayeon and Chaeyoung hum in agreement.

The whole time, Jeongyeon doesn’t say a word and observes how Dahyun and Mina keep leaning towards each other in complete silence.

While Mina notices the way Jeongyeon’s gaze flickers towards Dahyun every so often, she doesn’t say anything either. Instead, she rests her hand on Dahyun’s knee and smiles at her, loving the undivided attention Dahyun showers her with throughout their entire dinner.

Never in her whole life, Mina thinks, has anyone who has ever asked her out looked at her the way Dahyun does—never looked at her like she’s worth knowing for who she truly is and not because of her money and status.

With Dahyun, she feels seen. Cared for. _Visible._

Feels like she isn’t Myoui Mina, the CEO of her own company and daughter of one of the most influential people in Japan.

With Dahyun, she’s just _Myoui Mina._ Nothing more, nothing less.

Maybe that’s why Mina falls in love a little more with Dahyun and her eyes in that moment.

\-----

After dinner, everyone else leaves Jihyo’s house with the exception of Nayeon who said that she’ll stay with Jihyo for a while longer. Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung walk the opposite path towards their own house, while Dahyun and Mina go the other way.

Not wanting the night to end just yet, Dahyun turns to Mina and asks, “Are you tired?”

Mina smiles and shakes her head. “No, I’m fine. Why, did you have something in mind?”

“I do,” Dahyun answers, a comfortable warmth settling in her bones when Mina slips her arm into hers. “There’s someplace I want to take you.”

“Lead the way,” Mina tells Dahyun, her smile never leaving her lips as they continue to walk in silence.

With their arms linked and Mina sidled close to her, Dahyun leads them out of the village and into the beach. Mina lets out an audible gasp at the moon’s silvery glow, her arm slipping out of Dahyun’s as she begins to walk along the shore.

For as long as she could remember, Dahyun has always loved the sea.

To her, the ocean will always be beautiful no matter the time of day. Whether it be early in the morning, late in the afternoon, or in the middle of the night, the view and the sound of the waves crashing gently against the shore would never fail to draw her in and take her breath away.

She could stand barefoot on the sand and just let the cool sea breeze whip against her face while she stares out into the clear waters for hours on end, and it would be enough to make her feel like the world has stopped turning long enough for her to catch up with its pace.

But tonight, it isn’t just the darkened waters that gives Dahyun this feeling.

Rather, it’s Mina, who bends down to take off her sandals to step barefoot on the sand, an expectant glint in her eyes as she turns to glance at Dahyun.

“Take off your shoes, too, Dahyun-ah!” Mina calls out with a giggle, wriggling her toes against the sand for emphasis.

Unable to say no to Mina’s wide, gummy grin, Dahyun smiles and takes off her boots and socks, carrying them in her left hand as she walks toward Mina. Sand clings to the soles of her feet and slips between her toes with every step that she takes, sinking underneath her feet as she walks forward.

In the dark, her path is guided and lit by the moon and the stars, that, too, are reflected in the water’s surface.

Other than the crashing of the waves and the sound of her own heartbeat, everything remains quiet, giving off an air of complete stillness and tranquility as Dahyun stands in front of Mina.

“You were right when you said the view is much more beautiful from here,” Mina murmurs, her eyes dancing as Dahyun takes her hands.

Dahyun chuckles. “You remembered that?”

“Of course, I do. I always remember when someone promises to take me out on a date,” Mina teases. Dahyun flushes and coughs into the back of her hand, but otherwise doesn’t react, until Mina adds, “Though this is by far the best one I’ve ever been on.”

Before Dahyun can stop herself, a scoff escapes her. For some reason, the thought of rich, narcissistic men lining up to lavish Mina with expensive gifts irks her.

“Not that I’ve been on much,” Mina says with a laugh. Dahyun relaxes a little at that. “They’re all so shallow that I don’t even try to bother anymore.”

“You deserve better,” Dahyun blurts without thinking, surprising both Mina and herself. At the hint of red that tinges Mina’s cheeks, Dahyun curses herself for her impulsiveness, not even sure where that came from.

“You aren’t the first person to say that,” Mina answers with a slight laugh. “I’m lucky my parents never put that kind of pressure on me.”

“There’s no need to rush, after all,” Dahyun agrees.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Mina squeezes Dahyun’s hands absentmindedly, a faint smile pulling at the corners of her lips as she takes a step closer. “But enough about me,” she murmurs, thumb stroking Dahyun’s knuckles. “What about you?”

Dahyun releases a slow breath and murmurs, “What about me?”

Mina takes another step forward, her eyes holding Dahyun’s as she whispers, “Do you believe in destiny, Dahyun-ah?”

Another unexpected move from Mina. One that Dahyun couldn’t see coming yet again, but not in a way that blindsides her.

As much as it doesn’t make sense, Dahyun thinks that Mina is the kind of unexpected that she needed. The kind that the universe must have given her to try and make up for the heartbreak it caused her.

Then, she thinks. Thinks of Mina crashing right here, on this beach, when she could have landed anywhere else. Of all the places that exist, Mina somehow found her way _here,_ where Dahyun is.

Thinks of her own circumstances and the decisions she made that led her here in the first place.

It isn’t coincidence, it _can’t_ be a coincidence for her to have been the one to find Mina.

“I do,” is Dahyun’s soft, sure answer, her gaze never straying away from Mina’s.

Maybe if they had more time, if the seconds would slow down and stop ticking for a while, maybe Dahyun would have told Mina more.

More about herself, about Tzuyu, about the whole reason for her being here. For her sudden change in plans.

Maybe she would have let go of Mina’s hands to hold her close instead.

When Mina presses her hands to Dahyun’s chest and whispers, “I do, too,” Dahyun almost gives in. "And I'm glad it was you who found me, Dahyun-ah..."

 _Do you think I'm pretty, Dahyun-ah?_  
  
Looking into Mina's eyes like this, with Mina's hands on her chest and feeling like she's being welcomed home, Dahyun doesn't think Mina is pretty.  
  
She thinks Mina is beautiful.

\-----

_"Do you believe in destiny, Dahyun-ah?"_

_Tzuyu turns around in Dahyun's arms as she asks this, watching how Dahyun furrows her eyebrows in the way she does when she's deep in thought. It's one of the many things Tzuyu loves about Dahyun, because Dahyun always indulges her during times like this._

_"Like how the universe leads us to the person we're meant to be with?" Dahyun muses. When Tzuyu nods, Dahyun smiles and kisses Tzuyu's forehead. "Yeah, I do. What about you, Tzuyu-yah?"_

_"I think it's kind of silly," Tzuyu admits, fidgeting with the hem of Dahyun's shirt. But Dahyun doesn't cut in, doesn't try to change Tzuyu's mind. Instead, she listens and waits for Tzuyu to gather her thoughts._

_Another reason why Tzuyu loves Dahyun this much._

_"I don't know, but if there's someone I want to be with, I'd fight for them no matter what," Tzuyu goes on to explain._

_She isn't sure why she feels so strongly about this, but Tzuyu knows it has to be said. Whether for her own peace of mind, or to let Dahyun know in her own subtle way that she'll fight for them, Tzuyu doesn't know._

_Maybe it's both._

_"There's nothing wrong with that," Dahyun assures her with a soft grin. "Because I'd fight to be with someone I want to be with, too."_

_Dahyun leans in to kiss her then, and Tzuyu feels her worries and fears melt away as she kisses Dahyun back._

\-----

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Passengers bound for Incheon, Korea with the flight number AC-2378 may now start boarding."

Tzuyu shakes herself out of her reverie when she hears the boarding announcement for her flight, whispering her apologies to Jeongyeon as she stands from her seat and pulls her luggage with her.

"I'm sorry, Jeongie, but I think I've waited long enough..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts, they inspire me to keep writing :D


	6. the melody of the song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so the gap between the last chapter update and this one is pretty short! I originally meant to finish and have this up by Christmas, but more ideas came flowing in and so I pushed it back to today for Mihyun day hahaha.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
> 
> P.S. Title of this chapter taken from Photo of My Mind by Song Ga In

To other people, the concept of fate and destiny may seem like a silly idea, born out of the thoughts of someone who is madly in love with the idea that the universe always, _always_ finds a way to bring together two souls who are meant to be with each other.

And maybe it is, in a way.

But how can Mina believe that fate and destiny aren’t real, or that the heavens and the stars above didn’t lay a hand for Dahyun to have been the one to find and rescue her? How can Mina even pretend that she doesn’t, when Dahyun said so herself that she believes in it, too?

Call her a hopeless romantic, but how can she not be when Dahyun is looking at her like that? Like she wants Mina to see her? To dive into the oceans that are her eyes and be pulled into their currents?

She isn’t afraid to jump into them, because she knows and trusts that Dahyun won’t let her drown.

This time, it’s Mina’s turn to not look away, even as she slides her hand down Dahyun’s arm to tug on her wrist. Asking Dahyun to take the plunge with her, too.

And Dahyun does, without a single ounce of hesitance, when she slips their hands together and twines their fingers.

Mina is well-aware that this isn’t a date, even if their intertwined hands and the erratic beating of her heart gives off a different impression. But she can dream a little and hold on tighter to Dahyun’s hand, right?

A giddy feeling wells up within her as Dahyun swings their intertwined hands back and forth, their bare feet leaving imprints on the sand as they stroll down the shore.

“You said that the ‘dates’ you’ve been on so far are shallow.” Dahyun scrunches her nose in distaste as she says this, causing Mina to giggle.

“I did, yes,” Mina answers, amused at the noncommittal hum Dahyun makes in response to this. If you asked her, she would say that it’s as though Dahyun is… _jealous._ The thought makes Mina even giddier—so much so that she wants to further test the waters and see if she can evoke a stronger reaction from Dahyun by adding more to it.

Luckily for her, Dahyun follows up with a question, though she looks like she’s one creased forehead away from making a sour face when she asks, “What did you do on your dates?”

Mina giggles again. For someone who’s normally quiet and unreadable at times, Dahyun looks like she’s having a difficult time keeping a straight face while she waits for Mina’s response.

“It’s just the same old boring thing every time,” Mina says with a shrug. “They’d bring me to fancy restaurants, try to give me expensive gifts, then toot their own horn throughout the whole dinner,” she ticks off one by one, smiling in amusement when Dahyun makes what sounds like a displeased noise at the back of her throat. Unable to resist, Mina nudges Dahyun’s shoulder and laughingly teases, “Oh, are you jealous, Captain Dahyun?”

Dahyun scrunches her nose further and creases her forehead, then scoffs and kicks at the sand. “That doesn’t even sound like a date,” she mutters. “It sounds more like a competition where they try to win you over with their money and influence.”

“You’re right about that.” Mina sighs. “But that’s how it is. It’s common for people to marry for the sake of money and their self-interest, so it’s near impossible to find someone who would care enough to see you beyond your status and influence.”

“That doesn’t sound right at all. I mean, money shouldn’t be everything, should it?”

“It shouldn’t,” Mina agrees, warmth flooding her when Dahyun smiles and squeezes her hand. “It’s why I never accepted a single gift from any of them. I just feel like it would be enabling them in a way if I did.”

“That’s true. And you deserve better than to be thought of that way…” Dahyun murmurs, and Mina knows she means it.

That’s one more thing about Kim Dahyun, it seems. She never says anything she doesn’t mean for the sake of making a person feel better. Everything Dahyun does and says is born out of sincere honesty; one Mina wishes the world has more of.

“You’re sweet,” Mina whispers, a smile ghosting her lips as she rests her head on Dahyun’s shoulder. She closes her eyes and sighs, then says, “Sana and Momo are one of the rare few who married out of love, though.”

“Sana and Momo?” Dahyun asks, curious.

Mina hums and nods. “They’re my best friends back home. Though they’re more like my sisters, to be honest,” she answers with a chuckle.

“You must be really close with each other,” Dahyun says, a smile in her voice. Warm. Comforting. Like warm, lazy summers.

Mina loves those warm, lazy summers a lot. They make her want to go surfing or scuba diving, and she wonders if Dahyun used to do those things, too. If she does, Mina thinks it would be nice if they could do those together.

“We are.” Mina bites down on the inside of her cheek, wondering how Momo and Sana are doing. She misses them terribly, but deep down she knows a big part of her will miss Dahyun as well.

She wonders if Dahyun will miss her, too.

Not wanting the night to end just yet, Mina tightens her grip on Dahyun’s hand and quietly asks, “Is there anything you miss from home?”

At the pause that follows, Mina is afraid she may have overstepped or hit a sore spot; but just as she’s about to take it back and tell Dahyun that there’s no need for her to answer if she isn’t comfortable, Dahyun admits in a murmur, “There is; my grandma’s beach house. When I was younger, I would always come visit her during the summer and I would stay for a few weeks.”

“What do you do when you visit?”

“The locals loved my grandma, so they taught me to swim, dive, and surf whenever I was there,” Dahyun says with a nostalgic chuckle.

Mina turns her head to glance at Dahyun, a grin breaking across her face as she eagerly asks, “You dive and surf, too?”

“Yeah.” Dahyun grins, then pauses. “Wait, you do, too?”

Mirroring Dahyun’s grin, Mina chirps, “Yup! I tried diving and surfing when I went to Hawaii a few years ago, and I guess you could say I fell in love with the water even more.”

Eyes sparkling brighter than the stars shining above, Dahyun laughs and pulls Mina a little closer, enough to steal Mina’s breath away. “I get what you mean,” she says, excited. “It’s scary at first, but once you’ve started, you just want to keep going.”

This time, there isn’t a trace of loneliness or melancholy to be found in Dahyun’s gaze. There’s nothing but uncontained eagerness as she leads them further down the shore, and Mina can only giggle at the childlike enthusiasm that shines in Dahyun eyes.

“Then before you know it, it’s already sundown,” Mina chimes in.

“And then you’re standing there, admiring the sunset,” Dahyun finishes, turning to look at Mina, their fingers still linked together.

And Mina doesn’t want to let go. Not yet. She just wants to stay in this moment for a while longer—for as long as the trickling of the sands of time would allow her to.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t go diving or surfing right now, though,” Dahyun continues in a quiet murmur, her gaze holding Mina’s.

A light bulb goes off in Mina’s head then, much like when she comes up with an idea for a business venture. Except, this is so much better and a lot less stressful than sitting at a meeting while pitching ideas with her teams.

“Well, you’re right. We can’t dive _or_ surf,” Mina hints, grinning at the confusion on Dahyun’s face. “But there _is_ something else we can do.”

“What do you-“ Dahyun never gets the chance to finish speaking, because Mina is suddenly yanking her down the shore and into the water. “Mina!” she exclaims, laughing, as Mina bends down to splash water against her.

Mina bursts into a fit of giggles when Dahyun scoops up some water and splashes it against her face. She then tries to run away from the assault of splashes being thrown her way, but with how drenched her clothes are and the resistance of the water, Mina doesn’t get that far.

When she cranes her neck to look back at Dahyun, she laughs even harder. It’s a sight to behold—Dahyun with her rolled-up pants and soaked uniform that clings to her skin, eyes dancing with exhilaration as she chases after Mina.

They’re like a couple of teenagers, laughing and giggling as they chase each other around while almost knee-deep in the water in an otherwise empty beach—and in the middle of the night at that, too. Mina’s squeals and Dahyun’s loud, ringing laughter fill the air as they relentlessly splash at each other, neither one willing to surrender just yet.

Until Dahyun finally catches Mina, her biceps flexing as she gathers Mina in her arms from behind and lifts her up with little to no effort. With a high-pitched squeal of surprise followed by more breathless giggling, Mina gives Dahyun a few playful smacks on the arm, but Dahyun doesn’t let go.

But Mina loves it. Loves how playful and bright and free Dahyun is, with her unrestrained laughter that blows along with the cool, evening breeze.

And despite the fact that they’re both soaked to the bone, Mina feels warm with Dahyun’s arms wrapped around her midsection, and even warmer still when Dahyun doesn’t stop laughing as Mina halfheartedly tries to wriggle away from her embrace.

“Dahyun-ah!” Mina squeaks as Dahyun squeezes her waist, Dahyun’s shoulders shaking from laughing so much as she sets Mina back onto the water.

“Hey, you started it,” Dahyun points out, breathless, as Mina turns around in her arms.

“I thought it would be fun,” Mina says, shrugging, lips twitching into a fond smile as she reaches out to peel Dahyun’s hair away from her face. “And you looked like you had a great time, you know?”

A broad grin breaks across Dahyun’s face. “I sure did. It was funny hearing you squeal like that.”

“Oh?” Mina raises an eyebrow. “Well, I’m glad you found it amusing, Captain.”

“Oh, you have no idea.” Dahyun chuckles, chest rising and falling with short breaths.

Mina just shakes her head and takes Dahyun’s face in her hands, catching the droplets of water that fall from Dahyun’s hair and down her temples with her thumb.

If this were a real date, Mina would say it’s the first one she can say she’s honestly enjoyed and wishes would never end. Honestly speaking, she doesn’t want nor need to be driven around in limos or taken to fancy restaurants. She never did, and she never will, especially if she’s just going to end up listening to hours upon hours of endless boasting and differing versions of, _I can give you anything you want._

And each and every time, Mina wants to snort and throw it in their faces that yes, their money can buy them anything they want—anything with the exception of the ability to shut up and listen to her, it seems. God knows she wants nothing more than to tell them that she isn’t shallow enough to be won over by a single piece of jewelry, no matter how expensive or ‘limited’ it might be.

No, because what she loves and wants is this: standing knee-deep in the water with not just anyone else’s arms around her waist and whose face is in between Mina’s hands, but _Kim Dahyun’s_ —who, until days before, was a person Mina never would have imagined crashing into, much less meeting in this world filled with billions of strangers.

Mina can’t even say that Dahyun is a one in a million, because that would mean that there’s someone out there who’s exactly like her in every group of millions of people that there are.

No, Dahyun is one in _seven billion_ —and nothing could change Mina’s mind about this.

And, somehow, despite the billions of people roaming the earth, the universe decided to lead Mina to Dahyun.

So, yes, Mina believes that fate and destiny exist—that they’re both intertwined just as much as her and Dahyun’s lives are right now.

When Dahyun holds her closer, Mina whispers, “Are you happy, Dahyun-ah?”

Dahyun doesn’t hesitate to answer. “I am,” she breathes out, eyes starry-soft that it takes Mina’s breath away.

Then, before Mina realizes it, the next words fall from her lips in a softly-spoken confession, _“The moon is beautiful tonight…”_

Dahyun blinks in confusion. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

Heart thundering in her chest, Mina swallows and shakes her head, then translates into Korean, “The moon is beautiful tonight.”

Technically, it isn’t a _complete_ lie. It is the direct, literal translation, after all, but the true meaning is much more different and carries a lot of weight.

But with how the sands of time are still trickling down the hourglass, Mina can’t bring herself to tell Dahyun the true meaning behind her confession.

She watches Dahyun’s gaze flicker towards the sky above to where the moon shines bright, then back to Mina’s eyes.

“It is beautiful, isn’t it?” Dahyun says, smiling.

If Mina didn’t know any better, she would have thought that Dahyun was returning her confession. But then Dahyun tucks Mina’s sticky-damp hair behind her ear and whispers, “You are, too, Minari.”

_Minari._

It’s said with so much affection that Mina wants to hear Dahyun say her name that way again; for Dahyun to bring her head to her chest so Mina could listen to her heartbeat. To hear for herself if it matches the rhythm of the waves crashing against the shore. 

Underneath Dahyun’s steady gaze, Mina blushes and bites back a shy smile, never having felt this way before.

She hopes Dahyun would want to dive deeper into her, too.

\-----

“Hey, Jeong, you okay?”

At Chaeyoung’s concerned tone, Jeongyeon looks away from the ceiling for a moment to hum in response. “Yeah, I’m good. Why?”

From the other side of the room, Chaeyoung purses her lips before saying, “I dunno. You barely said a word during dinner earlier, so I thought that something might be up.”

Jeongyeon’s eyes flicker back to the ceiling as she heaves out a tired sigh. Maybe she lied to Chaeyoung about being okay, or maybe not. Truth be told, she isn’t sure _what_ to feel herself.

On one hand, she’s relieved and happy that Dahyun has begun to show bits and pieces of her old, cheery and upbeat self again because of Mina. On the other side of the coin, however, there’s Tzuyu to think about.

How would Tzuyu react if she found out about Mina and Dahyun? Would she take it well that Dahyun has begun to heal ever since she let Mina in? Or would she be hurt, disappointed, and maybe even angry that it wasn’t her that was able to slip past Dahyun’s defenses, but someone else?

Or would it be a mix of all these?

Or, worst of all, would Tzuyu be brash enough to show up out of the blue at Dahyun’s doorstep without warning because she couldn’t sit still and wait any longer?

Jeongyeon shakes her head. No, that can’t be. Tzuyu doesn’t do impulsive; doesn’t let her emotions cloud her judgment, and, in turn, make rash decisions.

At least, Jeongyeon hopes not.

Jeongyeon sighs again and folds her hands over her stomach. If she’s going to spiral, she might as well talk to Chaeyoung about it. “Hey, Chaeng?”

“What’s up?”

“Hypothetically speaking, what if you had this close friend who was closed off for so long because something bad happened; but you can see them getting better after meeting someone?”

A short pause follows before Chaeyoung thoughtfully answers, “I’d be happy for that friend, of course, but why do I feel like there’s a catch?”

Jeongyeon bites down on the inside of her cheek, then mumbles, “Because there is.”

“What’s this hypothetical catch, then?”

Relief courses through Jeongyeon at Chaeyoung’s decision to play along instead of calling her out. It makes her less hesitant to talk, especially since she’s kept everything to herself for such a long time.

“This close friend of mi-“ Jeongyeon stops midtrack, then abruptly corrects herself, “-this close friend used to be in a relationship with another close friend.”

“Hang on, why don’t we give them made up names to make things easier?” Chaeyoung suggests.

Jeongyeon nods. “Yeah, okay. Uh, let’s call the first one Hae and the second one Cho. Then the one who’s caught in the middle is Jin.”

“Hae, Cho, and Jin,” Chaeyoung repeats. “Got it.”

“So, Hae and Cho used to be in a relationship. But things got messy after-“ Jeongyeon swallows the rapidly forming lump in her throat, voice dropping to a whisper as she continues, “-after someone closed to Hae died. Then Hae just shut down completely and decided to run off somewhere. Jin and Cho tried to stop her or at least get her to explain, but it didn’t work. Then Jin was stupid enough to tell Cho to wait for Hae, and now that Hae met someone else, Jin doesn’t know what she’s going to do about Cho.”

Another pause, longer this time. Jeongyeon fidgets with her thumbs while she waits for Chaeyoung’s response.

“Jin sure has it tough,” Chaeyoung murmurs after a while, and Jeongyeon can only agree. “But I can get why she’d be torn about Hae opening up to someone new. Still, I don’t think she should blame herself.”

Jeongyeon sucks in a breath. “Why not?”

“Well…” Chaeyoung pushes her tongue against her cheek. “For one, there’s no way she could’ve known what was going to happen at the time. It sucks to think about, but there are just some things that are beyond our control, and another person’s feelings are one of those.”

Jeongyeon mulls this over and eventually nods to herself. Chaeyoung is right. It _does_ suck that there are so many things that are beyond her control, and to be honest, she isn’t even sure anymore as to why she’s so caught up in the notion that Dahyun and Tzuyu should and _must_ find their way back to each other.

Is it really for Tzuyu’s happiness, or is it so she could take comfort in the fact that her never being able to find the courage to tell Tzuyu how she feels wouldn’t be wasted that way, at the very least?

God. This is precisely why Jeongyeon hates overthinking. It makes her head hurt and leaves her even more confused compared to when she _wasn’t_ thinking at all.

But she’s glad Chaeyoung is there to listen to them run wild.

Maybe she should take it a step further and do one other thing she’s never done before.

“What do you think Jin should do?” Jeongyeon asks, hesitant, not really used to be the one to ask for help or advice. Usually, she would be the one to give it whenever Dahyun and Tzuyu came to her.

And, well, Tzuyu and Dahyun are both an ocean apart from her—literally for Tzuyu, and figuratively for Dahyun.

Chaeyoung hums. “If it were me, I don’t think it would be any help to think things through too much. I guess it’s one of those situations where you could say that you’ll cross the bridge when you get there, but you’d still have to prepare to cross it, if that makes any sense?”

“Yeah,” Jeongyeon says in a hoarse voice. “Yeah, it does. Thanks, Chaeng.”

“No problem,” Chaeyoung answers, then adds, “and hey, I’m all ears whenever you want to talk.”

A small smile tugs on the corner of Jeongyeon’s lips. In some ways, Chaeyoung reminds her of the old Dahyun—mischievous, playful, and open-minded. But when push comes to shove during moments like this, Chaeyoung can offer the wisest words anyone needs to hear.

Maybe that’s why they click so well, too.

Jeongyeon just hopes the rope doesn’t get cut once they step foot on that proverbial bridge.

\-----

“Wait, Hyo, where are we going??” Nayeon asks, bewildered, as Jihyo drags her out of the clinic and down the stony path.

At the mischievous smirk Jihyo sends her way, Nayeon starts to regret her life choices. Well, maybe except for liking Jihyo. Except, it’s liking Jihyo that’s going to get her into whatever mess that’s going to happen, isn’t it?

Nayeon sighs internally. As hard as she tries to deny to Dahyun, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung that she’s whipped for Jihyo, she knows deep down inside that they’re right.

“You’ll see when we get there,” is all Jihyo says, but the look of pure evil on her face doesn’t fool Nayeon.

Eyes narrowed, Nayeon says more than asks, “You’re going to spy on Captain Dahyun and Mina, aren’t you?”

“No, Nayeonnie,” Jihyo starts to correct her, and Nayeon wishes she could say that the nickname doesn’t turn her into mush. “We won’t be ‘spying’ on them. I just want to see how Mina is doing with our beloved captain.”

Nayeon stares at Jihyo. “You do remember that the captain gave me five more laps for tomorrow when she found out it was my idea to bring her to the clinic, right?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Then what do you think she’ll do if she catches me again?”

“Oh, c’mon, Nayeon, are you really going to leave me to walk around in the dark by myself?” Jihyo pouts, freaking _pouts,_ and Nayeon already knows she can’t worm her way out of this.

And, yeah, Jihyo is right, because Nayeon likes to think that she’s chivalrous enough to not let Jihyo walk alone in the dark.

Even though she might be a _little_ bit afraid of the dark herself, but Jihyo doesn’t need to know that, does she? Or that she used to run to her bed right after switching off the lights when she was younger.

Or the time she may or may not have screamed her head off when Jeongyeon grabbed her ankle that one night during their early recruit days.

Yeah. Jihyo definitely doesn’t need to know that she used to be a huge scaredy-cat.

“Fine,” Nayeon relents, then blushes when Jihyo leans in to press a kiss against the corner of her mouth. “But you’re taking the fall if the captain catches us.”

“Fine by me,” Jihyo answers with a shrug, unfazed, as she drags Nayeon further down the village and into the beach.

Nayeon honestly doesn’t know where Jihyo gets her courage from.

Ah, right. Because it isn’t like Dahyun can punish her, since Jihyo isn’t a soldier that’s part of the troop in the first place.

“Nayeon, look!” Jihyo whisper-shouts, eyes gleaming with excitement as she points down the shore where Dahyun and Mina are chasing each other around in the water. “Oh my God, they’re so cute!” she squeals in delight.

If Nayeon got the surprise of her life at Dahyun’s abnormal behavior earlier during dinner, then this one is an even bigger shock. At the sight of Dahyun laughing and playing so freely with Mina, Nayeon’s jaw drops to the ground, never having expected that Dahyun—serious, quiet, Captain Kim Dahyun—would be playing in the beach with a broad grin plastered across her face.

“What. The. Hell,” Nayeon whispers to herself, awestruck, as Dahyun somehow manages to laugh even harder as she lifts Mina in her arms.

With how caught up they are in each other, neither Dahyun nor Mina are made the slightest bit aware of Nayeon’s wide-eyed staring and Jihyo’s unrestrained gushing.

But the real icing on the cake is when Dahyun tucks a lock of hair behind Mina’s ear and wears the softest smile Nayeon has ever seen on her.

“Shit,” Nayeon curses to herself, panic beginning to set in as Dahyun and Mina start to wade out of the water hand-in-hand. Then, to Jihyo, she hisses, “Jihyo, we need to go before they catch us.” But Jihyo won’t budge. “Jihyo, _come on,_ ” she presses urgently.

Shaking her head, Jihyo tugs on Nayeon’s arm to stop her from leaving. “No, wait. Look at what the captain is doing.”

Nayeon sighs and reluctantly looks back to where Dahyun and Mina are, only to find Dahyun down on one knee while Mina remains standing. There’s a deep blush on Mina’s cheeks as Dahyun helps slip her sandals onto her feet, which in turn has Jihyo swooning sighing dreamily.

“They’re so adorable,” Jihyo coos. “And the captain is so romantic…”

This causes Nayeon to scowl and huff. “I can be romantic, too,” she mutters under her breath, annoyed.

“Did you say something?” Jihyo asks as she turns to face Nayeon.

“Nothing. Let’s just go already before we get in trouble,” Nayeon mumbles, sulking, and shoves her hands into her pockets as she begins to walk away.

Jihyo laughs and pulls Nayeon’s left hand from her pocket to lace their fingers together. “Aww, are you jealous?” she singsongs, much to Nayeon’s half-hearted annoyance.

“Who said I was?” Nayeon retorts.

“C’mon, Nayeonnie, don’t be like that,” Jihyo tells her, giggling, as they walk away from the beach and back to the village. Nayeon tries to ignore her, but fails miserably when Jihyo pulls her left hand out of her pocket to lace their fingers together.

Nayeon sighs, though she doesn’t pull away. “Go out with me?” she asks in a soft voice.

Flustered, Jihyo almost drops Nayeon’s hand and stammers, “W-what?”

Nayeon takes a deep breath, then exhales. She’s waited long enough, and she isn’t about to test the universe’s patience any more than she already has. With her heart pounding in her chest, Nayeon croaks out, “Go out with me, Hyo…”

To Nayeon’s shock, Jihyo huffs and pushes at her shoulder, tears welling up in her eyes. Out of sheer panic, Nayeon lets go of Jihyo’s hand to cup her face. “What- why- did I do something wrong?” she stutters.

Sniffling, Jihyo doesn’t grace her with a response—not verbally, at least. Instead, she grabs Nayeon by the face to pull her in for a kiss; Nayeon’s gasp of surprise muffled by Jihyo’s lips pressing against hers.

“Idiot,” Jihyo manages to say through a hiccup, hand cupping the back of Nayeon’s neck, and still every bit as beautiful even with tears rolling down her cheeks. Nayeon swallows. “You kept me waiting for so long, you idiot…”

Caught at a complete loss for words and unsure what else to say, Nayeon settles for a stammered apology, “S-sorry…”

Jihyo merely shakes her head and kisses her again, and Nayeon is helpless to do anything else but kiss her back.

And it’s the sweetest thing she’s ever experienced.

\-----

A flood of memories crash over Tzuyu like strong waves as she steps out of the cab and looks up at the house that, in so many ways, has become her second home during the time she lived here in Korea. With her suitcase in tow, she walks to the door and rings the doorbell, then greeted by Dahyun’s mom as the door swings open to welcome her inside.

“Tzuyu-yah!” Dahyun’s mom exclaims as she cups Tzuyu’s face adoringly. “Oh, you’ve become such a fine lady,” she gushes.

Tzuyu flushes at the attention and smiles, then murmurs, “Thank you, auntie. It’s nice to see you again.”

“How is Taiwan? And your mother?” Dahyun’s mom asks as she leads Tzuyu inside the house, and Tzuyu tries not to think of how it feels less warm without Dahyun there.

Her gaze wanders to the family portrait hanging on the wall by the living room, where Dahyun, her parents, and brother—Myungsoo—are sitting close together with wide, beaming smiles on their faces.

“My mom is doing good,” Tzuyu answers, her gaze lingering on Myungsoo and Dahyun and their matching, crooked grins. One gone forever, and the other yet to find its way back. Tzuyu holds back a shaky breath. “The café is taking off, and she asked me to send you and uncle her regards.”

“That’s good to hear,” Dahyun’s mom says warmly, clasping her hands around Tzuyu’s. “How about you, Tzuyu-yah? How are you?”

 _Dejected,_ Tzuyu wants to say. _I miss Dahyun so much._

But then she sees the lines drawn across the forehead of Dahyun’s mom, and Tzuyu musters a smile of her own instead. “I’m doing okay, auntie. How are you and uncle?”

“My husband is in our room, praying for our dear Dahyunnie,” Dahyun’s mom murmurs, a sad look crossing her eye as she glances at the family portrait.

Tzuyu shifts her weight onto her right foot and lowers her gaze. She wishes she knew what to say to offer some semblance of consolation, but fails to come up with the right words to say.

“You must be tired from your flight,” Dahyun’s mom says after a beat of silence, patting Tzuyu’s hand. “Why don’t you wait in Dahyun’s room while we get the guest room ready?”

“Ah- no, I booked a hotel room so please don’t trouble yourself,” Tzuyu hastily says, but Dahyun’s mom shakes her head.

“Nonsense, dear. My husband and I would love to have you here.”

Tzuyu opens her mouth to protest again, but then clamps it back shut upon realizing that Dahyun’s parents must have been lonely with their son no longer here, and their daughter having been away from them for a long while.

“Okay. Thank you for letting me stay, auntie…”

Dahyun’s mom then releases Tzuyu’s hand, and Tzuyu brings her suitcase with her as she walks up the stairs and down the hallway leading to Dahyun’s bedroom. Sucking in a sharp breath, Tzuyu hesitantly twists the doorknob and pushes the door open, then walks inside.

The layout is still the same as it was since the last time she was here; Dahyun’s bookshelves remains relatively filled with books save for the few she must have brought with her when she left; the bed positioned with the headboard pressed against the wall; and, finally, her piano standing in one corner of the room with the lid closed over the keys.

With shaky breaths, Tzuyu walks over to the piano and sits on the bench, then takes the picture frame displayed at the top of the piano. In the photo are Myungsoo and Dahyun—Myungsoo wearing his fatigues with his arm slung around Dahyun’s shoulder, their eyes crinkled into happy half-crescents from how broad their grins are.

The two of them have always been so close, and it was clear as day that Dahyun loved and adored Myungsoo to death. So much so that Dahyun even wrote a song for him while she was off in university studying music, and Myungsoo away in the army.

A song that remains unfinished to this day, and one Tzuyu isn’t sure Dahyun would finish.

Because along with Myungsoo’s death, so did Dahyun’s love and passion for music and the piano.

Hands trembling, Tzuyu opens the lid and runs her index finger along the keys.

\-----

_Though the song’s melody is light and happy, Tzuyu can feel Dahyun’s pain radiating with every key that she presses down on; the smile on Dahyun’s face that’s usually there when she plays the piano nowhere to be found despite the beautiful spring morning._

_Beside Tzuyu, Jeongyeon has her head bowed, fists balled against her sides and her lower lip bitten raw from how much she’s been gnawing on it. And even though Dahyun is no more than a few steps away, Tzuyu feels as though they’re an ocean apart from each other with how distant Dahyun has become._

_From the corner of her eye, Tzuyu spots three girls amongst the crowd, seemingly drawn in by Dahyun’s playing like the other people who have gathered around. Though the three already stand out, the one in the middle—with shoulder length, black hair and moles dotting her face—sticks out even more than her two companions._

_Unlike everyone else in the audience, this girl in question appears to sense Dahyun’s pain, what with the way she takes another step forward with furrowed eyebrows and the slightest of frowns tugging down on her lips._

_Tzuyu doesn’t understand why, but she has this sudden, overwhelming need to close the gap and put herself in between Dahyun and the girl. But for what? The girl is clearly nothing more than a stranger and innocent bystander, who also just happens to be one of the many others pulled in by Dahyun’s beautiful playing._

_With that thought in mind, Tzuyu stops her feet from taking a single step forward and forces herself to stay put._

_Meanwhile, the other girl moves closer to Dahyun, almost as though it isn’t only the music that draws her in but another thing entirely that’s beyond their understanding._

_Little did they know that it was the universe turning the gears of fate once more._

\-----

Tzuyu presses down on a few keys, though the notes sound dull and empty without Dahyun there to bring them to life.

She then sighs and glances at the photo of Dahyun and Myungsoo again, then whispers, “Please watch over Dahyun for a little while longer, Myungsoo-oppa… I promise I’ll be there to see her soon.”

\-----

Mina pulls out the folder that sticks out from Dahyun’s shelf and carefully opens it, where she finds pages of sheet music with a handwritten composition scrawled across the staves. With her barebones knowledge of music, Mina is only able to identify a handful of notes, most of them leaving her stumped.

Still, Mina can tell that Dahyun must have put a lot of love and care into writing this piece of music, though by the time she gets to the last page, she notices that only one-fourth of the staff is filled up. Mina is then left with a distinct impression that the song isn’t finished.

But for how long has it been hanging?

_I played the piano._

Mina creases her forehead. Now that she thinks about it, it’s as if Dahyun was implying that she stopped playing the piano altogether.

“Is this what you meant when you said that you had a change in plans, Dahyun-ah…?” Mina whispers to herself as she touches the last note written. “Was this the last song you played?”

\-----

_They’re walking down the square when Mina hears it. A bright, carefree melody she’s never heard before, but somehow lonely-sounding at the same time._

_Ignoring Sana and Momo’s confused expressions, Mina begins to walk over to the source of the music, murmuring her apologies as she squeezes past the audience that have gathered together to watch and listen._

_There, in the middle of the crowd, sits a girl by the piano with two others standing right behind her. Mina doesn’t pay much attention to everything else, too mesmerized by the girl sitting no more than a few steps away from her to take notice even of Sana and Momo who have also managed to reach her._

_Underneath the light, uplifting tune, Mina can sense a hint of… grief? Sorrow? Heartache?_

_Mina furrows her eyebrows as she subconsciously takes another step forward, wondering why that could be._

_Before she knows it, the song comes to an abrupt end, and the girl who played stands from her seat and offers the crowd a faint smile of thanks; her tired eyes making brief contact with Mina’s before she takes a step back and shuffles away._

\-----

The sound of running water from the bathroom stops then, and Mina hastily but carefully tucks the sheet music back into the folder and inserts it back to where she pulled it out from. Just as she turns around, Dahyun walks out of the bathroom with a towel slung around her neck.

Mina gets a strong sense of déjà vu from earlier this morning, but has no time to spiral this time as Dahyun smiles and asks, “Do you want to drink some tea?”

“I- yes, please,” Mina manages to choke out, then mentally slaps herself.

Dahyun nods and retreats into the kitchen, leaving Mina to place a hand on her chest in an attempt to keep her heart rate under control. God, what is it with her and getting flustered so easily around Dahyun?

After Dahyun finishes making tea for the two of them, Dahyun suggests, “Why don’t we sit at the back porch?”

“Sure,” Mina agrees and follows Dahyun through the back door and out into the backyard.

Dahyun first sets the mugs on the ground, and Mina bites back a shy, giddy smile as Dahyun takes her hand to guide her to sit on the steps. Despite it being late at night, it isn’t too chilly out, especially considering the fact that they were playing around in the water only moments earlier.

Mina murmurs her thanks as Dahyun offers her one of the mugs, then sidles closer until there isn’t that much space left between them. With a quiet hum, Dahyun takes a sip of her tea and gazes up at the sky, the shadows dancing across the sides of her face in a way that has Mina needing to stop and stare for a while.

The comfortable, tranquil stillness of the night urges Mina to drop her head onto Dahyun’s shoulder; a soft, content sigh falling past her lips as she does so. Dahyun chuckles and wraps an arm around Mina’s shoulder to pull her closer, and Mina responds in kind by snuggling closer.

“Comfy?” Dahyun murmurs.

Mina smiles and nods. “Very. How about you, Dahyun-ah?”

“The most comfortable I’ve been in a while,” Dahyun breathes out.

Silence then falls between them, and Mina hums and closes her eyes, basking in Dahyun’s warmth. They stay that way for a while—Mina’s head on Dahyun’s shoulder while Dahyun stares up at the starry sky—neither of them feeling the need to break the silence and content to be wrapped in its calming embrace.

Mina can’t remember the last time she was able to hear her own thoughts like this, what with the busy lifestyle she’s been living for most of her life. She thinks it would be nice to settle down in a quiet place somewhere in the future for a change; to share that life with someone who would be as content as her to stay in and simply enjoy each other’s presence.

 _Something like this would be perfect,_ is her passing thought as she burrows further into Dahyun’s side.

It’s Dahyun who breaks the silence first, her voice a soft murmur as she asks, “Do you remember when I said that it’s okay to feel lost for a while?”

Mina lifts her head to meet Dahyun’s gaze and whispers, “I do.”

Dahyun releases a slow, steadying breath, her eyes slowly beginning to become unguarded as she croaks out, “That’s how I’ve felt for so long. I was lost, and most days, I was even afraid of the future.” She then pauses, and with every beat of silence that follows, Mina could feel Dahyun’s walls start to lower themselves inch by steady inch. “I think I still am,” Dahyun admits.

Mina doesn’t push for more, knowing Dahyun would talk when she’s ready. So, she doesn’t say a word; instead allows Dahyun to take her hand while she waits. She then squeezes Dahyun’s hand three times as if to say, _I’m here, I’m here, I’m here,_ with each time that she does.

“But you’ve made me happy, Minari,” Dahyun whispers, gaze soft and a smile in her eyes. Mina feels her chest throb at the sight. “And I haven’t felt this way in a long time.”

Without saying a word, Mina curls her fingers around the front of Dahyun’s shirt and begins to lean in ever so slightly, feeling Dahyun’s warm breaths mingling with hers as their faces inch closer and closer.

Dahyun’s eyes then flutter to a shut, and Mina leaves a gentle, lingering kiss against the corner of her mouth before whispering, “I hope you’ll always be happy, Dahyun-ah…”

And as she reluctantly pulls away and cups Dahyun’s face, Mina thinks that the moon really is beautiful tonight and always will be for every other night that there is in the near and distant future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, during the part where Mina said "The moon is beautiful tonight" that was in italics was in Japanese. Basically, it's one way a person could say that they like someone, but when Dahyun asked Mina what it meant, she gave the literal translation in Korean instead of explaining what it really meant.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I'd be happy if you left some comments down below :D


	7. 6.5 - all these days can't be eternal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Welcome back! To avoid confusion, I numbered this chapter as 6.5 since it will cover Dahyun's pov from chapters 4 and 6, along with a few additional scenes that weren't in both chapters. I hope you guys enjoy reading! :D
> 
> P.S. Title of this chapter taken from Crush's Let Us Go

By this point, Dahyun has lost count of the number of times she’s listened to her brother’s recordings. And yet, that doesn’t stop her from pressing play on the recorder as she sits alone in the kitchen that morning.

_“Hey, Dahyunnie! I’m sorry I won’t be able to call you while I’m here, so I’ll make it up to you by recording the stuff I want to tell you instead. So, don’t miss your big brother too much, okay?”_

Dahyun squeezes her eyes shut, releasing a shaky breath as she listens to Myungsoo’s deep yet bright voice. She almost wants to ask out loud, _how can I not miss you when you’re never coming back, oppa?_

But she stops herself right as the words rest on the very tip of her tongue, then absentmindedly skips to the next recording.

_“You know, I think I have the best troops a captain could ask for. They always have my back and I want to have theirs, too. Which reminds me, don’t be stubborn and be sure you learn to lean on someone when things get tough, alright?”_

In her guilt, Dahyun feels her stomach twists and turn over from the inside out. This must be the first time she didn’t take Myungsoo’s reminder to heart, and if he were here now, she’d be sure to get a scolding for choosing to do the opposite of what he said.

For shutting herself off from everyone who cares about her for years—from Jeongyeon and Tzuyu, especially.

For breaking Tzuyu’s heart.

With a heavy sigh, Dahyun hangs her head in regret and plays the next part.

_“I know this is really random, but do you remember that time when you had this upcoming piano recital when we were younger? And you felt frustrated and afraid because you didn’t know what to do with the piece? I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s okay to be afraid, be worried, and even feel lost for a while. And that it might come at different times for everyone, but-“_

“-there’s sure to be good days waiting ahead of the bad ones,” Dahyun finishes at the same time Myungsoo does. Then, she exhales and clenches her trembling hand around the voice recorder as her mind drifts off to the past.

\-----

_The tears Dahyun struggled to keep at bay falls at last as she’s left alone in her room with a box of her brother’s belongings, her lower lip quivering as she opens the flap with trembling fingers. She knows that if she doesn’t open it now, she’ll never be able to find the strength to do so in the future._

_Maybe it would be better for her in the long run, too, if she poured out all her grief and sorrow in one day instead of putting it off. God knows she already put it off long enough from the time she received the news until the funeral._

_And God knows how much she loves—no,_ loved— _her brother, but by some cruel twist of fate, he was taken too soon. Much too soon, in Dahyun’s opinion._

_She was supposed to tell him about how beautiful Switzerland is and show the photos she took of the breathtaking sights, and how nice the people are and that they should have a vacation there one of these days._

_And she was supposed to play the song she had been writing for him, too, but now she’ll never get the chance to do so. He wouldn’t be able to hear her play, and Dahyun lost the spirit to finish the piece or even lay a single finger on another piano ever again._

_More tears roll down her cheeks as she takes out the radio lying at the very top and pushes down on the button. She hopes that if she prayed desperately enough, this would be nothing more than a nightmare and her brother is somewhere safe and sound instead of lying in his grave._

_Or, at the very least, that if she waited long enough, she would hear her brother speak from the other end._

_But when she opens her eyes once more, she’s still wearing her black dress and sitting on her bed with the box right next to her. There’s only static from the radio, which then dies out as Dahyun releases her hold on the button._

_Through short, shaky breaths, Dahyun reaches for the next memento in the box. It’s a voice recorder this time, and, chest tightening even further, Dahyun hits play._

_This time, Myungsoo speaks, but Dahyun is far too overwhelmed by the weight of her emotions and the pain of missing him that she breaks down at the first word he says._

_She doesn’t even make it through the first recording before violent sobs wrack her frame and cause her to shrink into herself._

_Dahyun feels as though a huge part of her died then, enough to make her believe that the sun won’t shine again._

_Not without her big brother by her side._

\-----

Dahyun swallows the lump in her throat. “You know, Myungsoo-oppa, I didn’t think I would have any good days again after you-“ she pauses to take a deep breath, her voice dropping to a hoarse whisper as she shakily adds, “-after you left for good.”

Her gaze then drifts to the bedroom where Mina sleeps soundly, and Dahyun lets out a watery chuckle. To think that she thought she was the one reassuring and making sure Mina feels secure, but it turned out to be the other way around instead.

Whether it be as something as simple as the quiet thud of Mina’s footsteps as she pads across the floor; the fascination in her eyes while she reverently runs her fingers over the books on Dahyun’s shelf; or even simply walking into the kitchen to sit with her and keep her company—there’s no denying that everything Mina does brings comfort to Dahyun.

And, most of all, Mina is right there within reach the moment Dahyun falls asleep at night and wakes up again in the morning.

It’s Mina she sees first and last—Mina’s voice she hears the first thing in the morning and the last at night.

“But I’m kind of a hypocrite, aren’t I?” Dahyun murmurs to herself, hoping that Myungsoo can hear her from up above, too. “I told Mina the same thing you did, even though I used to doubt it a lot. But there’s something special about her. She’s- I don’t even know how to explain it, but she makes me believe that there _are_ good days ahead. And I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve had nothing but good days since she came crashing into my life, oppa.”

Dahyun pauses to take another breath and clutches the voice recorder, staring out the window as she smiles a little. “I wish you could have met Mina, though, Myungsoo-oppa… I’m sure you would have liked her a lot.”

Then, subconsciously, she hits play for the last time, which, in turn, leads to the last recording as well.

 _“Oh, wow, looks like I must have talked a lot. The memory’s full,”_ Myungsoo says with a laugh. Dahyun chuckles, wistful, as she continues to stare out the window. _“So, I guess this is it until I can talk to you again. That said, promise me one thing? Promise me you’ll always find a reason to smile and be happy, and I promise I will, too.”_

No matter how many times Dahyun listens to this, it always feels like a goodbye. Like they’re her brother’s parting words to her.

She’ll admit it still hurts to think about, though the pain is no longer as overwhelming as it once was. There’s only a dull, throbbing ache in her chest now, because she doesn’t think she could ever find it in her heart to _not_ miss him.

How could she, when she admired and loved him dearly for all her life?

“Dahyun-ah?”

At the sound of Mina’s voice, soft yet clear at the same time, Dahyun turns away from the window to look at Mina.

_Dahyun-ah._

The smile that pulls at Dahyun’s lips in reaction to this is instantaneous. It’s been too long since she last heard someone call her by that, and she thinks that it sounds even better and sweeter coming from Mina.

Mina looks nothing short of surprised and aghast when Dahyun tells her there are times where she wakes up before the sun rises; almost like she can’t imagine herself getting up _that_ early in the morning.

Dahyun chuckles.

And as Mina sits in front of her, Dahyun no longer sees a stranger inside her own house.

Rather, she sees someone who makes it feel more like home.

 _Mina_ feels like home.

\-----

Mina’s giggles are like sunshine and happy children’s songs played on a piano, Dahyun thinks to herself. Her eyes, bright and wide and kind, sparkle with laughter as she watches the village children chase each other around with a wide, gummy grin on her face.

Warmed by the thought that seeing little kids makes Mina happy, too, Dahyun can’t help but smile and watch as Mina’s grin broadens. It seems like the more Mina smiles and giggles and laughs, the more Dahyun sees and feels just how beautiful of a soul she is.

And it’s the gentle twinkling of those eyes, those tender smiles and pretty giggles and quiet laughter that cause Dahyun to inevitably fall for Myoui Mina.

If it weren’t for the little girl yelling her name, Dahyun is sure she would never have torn her gaze away from Mina.

Dahyun crouches down and lifts the little girl onto her shoulders, then huffs as the girl ruffles her hair. Around her, the other children whine and complain about not being chosen to be carried by Dahyun, which Mina giggles at.

In the middle of the bickering between the kids, one of the little boys—the shy, quiet one—waddles up to Mina and tugs at her sweatpants to catch her attention. Dahyun then gives up on getting the girl to stop messing with her hair in favor of listening to Mina and the boy.

“Do you also want Captain Dahyun to carry you?” Dahyun hears Mina ask.

“But she might have a hard time if she carries me, too,” the boy answers in a tiny voice.

“She might, won’t she?” Mina agrees as she gently pats the boy’s head, a smile on her face. Kind, _warm._ “You’re very sweet and thoughtful for not wanting Captain Dahyun to have a hard time.”

The boy beams and blushes a little at the affectionate praise, telling Dahyun that he’s comfortable around Mina.

Much like how Dahyun is comfortable around her, too.

Dahyun’s gaze never strays away from her, doesn’t see anything else save for the soft curve of Mina’s lips and the fondness in her eyes for the little boy standing in front of her. And from experience, Dahyun can say that only someone with a heart as kind and pure as Mina’s would be able to win over the shyest of children with nothing more than a smile and a few words.

But, more than anything, it’s how Mina won her weary heart over, too.

“I wish I could carry you,” Mina tells the boy with a chuckle, “but I’m not as strong as Captain Dahyun is.”

Dahyun would beg to disagree. If Mina knew about the many nights she spent crying herself to sleep following Myungsoo’s death, maybe she wouldn’t call Dahyun strong.

If Mina knew that she ran away from all that heartache and pain, even going so far as giving up on her dreams of becoming a pianist to chase after her brother’s ghost by becoming a soldier like him…

Then no, she isn’t strong by any means—not by a long shot.

Or maybe Mina still would.

She is that kind, after all.

Dahyun pushes those kinds of thoughts away from her head, and takes this as her cue to join in. Ignoring the pout of the little girl as Dahyun sets her down on the ground, Dahyun crouches in front of the boy and ruffles his hair. “Do you want a turn, too?” she asks him.

Eyes going wide, the boy asks, “Can I?”

When Dahyun makes a show of flexing her biceps, Mina bursts into a fit of cute giggles, causing a broad grin to break across Dahyun’s face.

She doesn’t notice the affectionate look Mina sends her way as Dahyun hoists the little boy up on her shoulders, nor the loving smile that pulls at the corners of Mina’s lips.

The little boy is as sweet as ever; and despite her doubts over whether her reason for being a soldier is justified or not, Dahyun feels that she must have done something right to be looked up to by all these kids surrounding her.

Part of her wonders if this is how Myungsoo felt every time she tagged along with him.

Dahyun can’t say the same for the little girl being sweet, though. Not when she asks Dahyun point blank and without shame if she thinks Mina is pretty, then goes on to ask Mina if she _likes_ Dahyun.

It’s the first time Dahyun has seen Mina this flustered, even reaching the point where she stammers as she tries to answer the girl’s devilish question. As for herself, on the other hand, Dahyun is far too stunned to poke fun at Mina, much less say a single word.

In the end, all Mina manages to blurt out in response is, “I- that’s- she’s nice,” while Dahyun stands rooted to the spot.

After a while, Dahyun finally manages to shake herself out of her trance and fixes the little girl with a playful glare and says, “Oh, is that what they teach you at school now? Don’t you think you’re too young to be talking about these kinds of things, huh, little missy?”

It works like a charm. The little girl yelps and yells for everybody to run, which sends the rest of the kids scampering away with their backpacks swinging around.

Dahyun sighs and shakes her head, thinking that she’s safe now. But she couldn’t be any more wrong as Mina squeezes her arm, a teasing smile playing at her lips and a mirthful shine in her eyes as she asks, “Do you think I’m pretty?”

Dahyun almost chokes on air, and she hurriedly masks the strangled noise that catches at the back of her throat with a cough.

She can’t believe this. She’s been a soldier for a good seven years and been in the face of danger for some of them with scars to show for it; but somehow, a cheeky little girl’s devious question and some flirty teasing from Mina is more than enough to throw Dahyun off her game.

“Just kidding,” Mina says with a giggle when Dahyun doesn’t answer, letting go of her arm.

Dahyun coughs again and puts her hands in her pockets, then mumbles, “I don’t think you’re pretty. I think you’re beautiful.”

“Sorry, what was that?” Mina sounds genuinely curious, but Dahyun just shakes her head.

“Nothing,” Dahyun deflects. “It’s nothing.”

To her relief, Mina doesn’t press her any further and changes the topic instead until Dahyun learns that Mina has danced ballet since she was eleven and that she used to teach kids. It makes more sense now, for that little boy to like and be the first to approach Mina despite being the shyest out of everyone.

The way Mina talks about dancing reminds Dahyun of how she used to be the same way about music and playing the piano—which also happens to be her first love like how dancing is for Mina.

Dahyun wonders if her and Mina’s paths would still have crossed had she decided to pursue music despite her brother’s death. Or would they have gone on with their respective lives, all the while being blissfully unaware of each other’s existence?

For some reason, just the mere thought of living her life and not knowing that Mina exists makes Dahyun ache. She doesn’t think she wants that kind of life, not when Mina is already right here with her.

“What about you?” Mina then asks Dahyun, a curious look in her eye. “Have you always wanted to be a soldier?”

Dahyun sucks in her lower lip and pushes her hands deeper into her pockets. “No, not always…” she admits, holding back the _because my dream was to become a pianist,_ that threatens to follow. Then, she shakes her head and offers Mina a slight smile. “I guess you could say there’s been a change in plans.”

She doesn’t say anything more than that; doesn’t explain that her dream of becoming a pianist died along with her brother. So, she falls quiet, thinking of the unfinished piece that sits untouched on her shelf.

Somehow, Mina senses her quiet pain; and she again offers Dahyun a semblance of comfort by touching her wrist. Dahyun swallows down the growing lump in her throat, resisting the urge to give in to the twitch of her own fingers that seek to respond to Mina’s touch.

And when Mina looks straight into her eyes with that soft, kind gaze and whispers, “You’re a good person, too, Dahyun-ah…” Dahyun thinks that she’s never seen anyone more beautiful in her whole life.

\-----

After exiting the bathroom, Dahyun catches Mina crouched down in front of her bookshelf, seemingly reaching for something. Now alerted to her presence, Mina jumps up, startled, and swiftly turns around to meet Dahyun’s curious gaze with wide eyes.

She soon finds out that Mina has discovered the box containing a few more of her other belongings. Dahyun sucks in a breath as she goes through the CDs Tzuyu gave her the morning of her enlistment; the memory of Tzuyu’s shaky voice telling her to take care and the tightness of her embrace—their _last_ embrace—still fresh inside of Dahyun’s head.

But it disappears and is replaced by the feeling of Mina’s fingertips brushing against hers, as Mina accepts the CDs with slight hesitance.

Mina is all Dahyun can see and feel.

The only one Dahyun sees deep inside of her heart.

\-----

She tells Jeongyeon about letting Mina borrow the CDs, and Jeongyeon sounds equal parts shocked and hurt when she asks Dahyun if she no longer listens to them. Dahyun can’t blame Jeongyeon for reacting that way, not when she knows Jeongyeon’s feelings for Tzuyu haven’t changed while hers already have.

A sharp pang of guilt stabs at Dahyun’s heart for this. For hurting both Tzuyu who has done nothing but love her, and Jeongyeon who has done nothing but love Tzuyu.

Dahyun doesn’t want to add Mina to that list, too.

“Something changed, didn’t it?” Jeongyeon says, voice tight and full of conflict. “All this time we’ve been away from her, something changed.”

Dahyun squeezes her eyes shut, remembering how numb she felt when Tzuyu kissed her for the last time through tears; how her thoughts have drifted less and less towards the girl who was her first love over the course of the years they’ve been apart.

How they keep wandering back to Mina without her being aware of it. Of how everything has become brighter through Mina’s presence alone. Of how Mina has brought back bits and pieces of the old her—of the Dahyun who dreams of the future instead of being afraid of what tomorrow would bring.

And, ironically enough, Mina is set to leave tomorrow.

Fate truly has been nothing but cruel to her.

“How do you feel about Mina?”

Dahyun’s heart both stops beating and clenches painfully at the same time.

“She’s leaving tomorrow,” is all Dahyun answers, because what’s the point in putting into words and saying out loud how she feels if Mina is no longer going to be there tomorrow?

What’s the point in falling in love with someone who was always meant to leave even before coming into her life?

What’s the point in falling in love with Mina?

And yet, she does little to stop herself from falling, anyway.

\-----

Wanting to surprise Mina with a nice dinner, Dahyun asks Jeongyeon to accompany her to the marketplace later that afternoon after telling Nayeon and Chaeyoung to wait for them at Jihyo’s. The uncle taking care of the meat stall waves Dahyun and Jeongyeon over as soon as he spots them, a wide grin on his face as he crouches down and brings out two bags filled with freshly-chopped pieces of chicken.

“Captain Dahyun! Here’s the chicken you wanted,” the uncle says as he sets the bags down in front of Dahyun.

Dahyun grins as she checks inside the bags, then pulls out some money from her wallet to pay him. “Thank you, uncle. These look great!”

“Of course!” the uncle beams and pats Dahyun on the back. “Have a good dinner!”

Jeongyeon eyes Dahyun curiously throughout the whole exchange, waiting until they’re out of earshot before asking, “You’re going to cook fried chicken?”

“Yeah,” Dahyun answers with a nod. “We just have to drop by my house to get the rest of the ingredients.”

Jeongyeon blinks in surprise. “Wait, what made you decide to cook all of a sudden?”

_Because I’m hoping Mina would remember me if I did._

But Dahyun bites this back and instead answers, “I just felt like it, plus I think all of you deserve to have a nice meal every now and then.”

Well, it _is_ the truth. It’s rare for them to be able to indulge in such a generous meal, and it just so happens that Mina is here, too. And if this is going to be Mina’s last night with them, with _her,_ then Dahyun wants to make it special; wants it to be a pleasant memory Mina can look back on.

The kind of memory that would make Mina smile and remember Dahyun, even if it’s only every once in a while.

If Jeongyeon picks up on this, she chooses not to make a comment and instead bumps their shoulders together.

“Thanks, Cap! We’ll stuff ourselves silly.”

“I know the three of you will,” Dahyun deadpans.

\-----

Ever since she was a little kid, Dahyun has always liked doing nice things for other people—not because she has ulterior motives or wants to gain something in return, but simply because she wants to do something good for them. It’s the one thing she feels hasn’t changed about herself and glad that hasn’t, even more so when she notices the eager shine in Chaeyoung and Nayeon’s eyes as they watch her cook.

As crazy as they may act at times, Dahyun can’t say that she would rather have anyone else by her side to support her as captain. First there’s Nayeon, who, for all her loud and rambunctious tendencies, has a heart of gold and a knack for boosting morale when it’s needed; second, there’s Chaeyoung, despite being oddly quiet at times, has a wise mind and a gift of knowing the right words to say at the right time; third, there’s Jihyo, who isn’t afraid to face things head-on and has no problem calling Dahyun out on her stubbornness straight to her face (which Dahyun is sure is because she won’t suffer any consequences for it). Then there’s Jeongyeon, who Dahyun has known for the better part of her life for having a gigantic heart that loves people and animals alike despite her prankster tendencies.

The four of them have become her family away from home, in more ways than one. Her noisy, insane family that she wouldn’t trade for anything else in the world.

And now, there’s Mina; who, despite having been in Dahyun’s life for only a few days, has managed to fill the void that her brother’s death left within her. Mina, who brought the sun into her stormy life again.

Dahyun knows that one homecooked dinner is nowhere near enough to show how grateful she is for them, but she can try.

She’s sure Mina must have eaten plenty of delicious, expensive food at fancy restaurants and hotels; so, Dahyun admits she’s nervous about how her own cooking would fare up against everything else Mina has ever tried. For all she knows, Mina could have tried every fried chicken place in Seoul, which makes Dahyun both anticipate and feel even more jittery for Mina’s reaction.

With Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung, and Jihyo it’s never a problem at all. Those three would inhale _anything_ edible, but Mina is a different matter altogether.

So, with bated breath, Dahyun watches as Mina lifts the drumstick to her mouth to take a hearty bite. And then Mina’s eyes go wide, her face breaking into a gummy grin as she exclaims, “This is delicious!”

Relief floods Dahyun upon hearing this, her cheeks growing warm as Mina enthusiastically takes another bite. In her daze, she doesn’t hear the hushed whispers going around between Jihyo, Nayeon, and Chaeyoung that are about her.

She doesn’t even feel Jeongyeon’s observant eyes on her. Instead, all Dahyun can see is Mina’s wide smile, and the only thing she can hear are Mina’s delighted noises as she continues to eat.

Scratching at her cheek, Dahyun ducks her head and asks, “Yeah? You think so?”

Mina grins and shifts closer to Dahyun, her eyes sparkling as she nods in enthusiasm and gushes, “It’s the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted.”

Dahyun flushes at the praise, not having expected Mina to like her cooking that much. But Mina does, and Dahyun can’t help but get lost in the way Mina smiles and touches her knee.

It makes Dahyun want to do more for Mina.

To stop being afraid of the way her heart wants to beat for Mina, no matter what tomorrow might bring.

\-----

After dinner, and as they’re finishing cleaning up, Jihyo sidles next to Dahyun with a broad grin on her face. Dahyun gives her a strange look and leans away.

“What?” Dahyun asks, eyebrows furrowed.

Jihyo nods towards Mina who puts the plates back in their proper places before turning back to Dahyun and whispers, “So, are you going to take her out on a nice, romantic stroll?”

Dahyun snorts and rolls her eyes at Jihyo’s choice of words.

“No, I’m not,” Dahyun denies. “Besides, there’s nothing ‘romantic’ going on between me and Mina, alright?”

It’s Jihyo’s turn to give her a strange look. “Right,” she deadpans. “Because there’s nothing ‘romantic’ about how you basically surprised her with dinner earlier.”

“That was for all of you,” Dahyun retorts.

“I dunno, Cap,” Chaeyoung slides in, much to Dahyun’s exasperation. “Don’t you want to show her how a real date is supposed to be done? Who knows, she might not have even liked the ones she went on before.”

As hard as she tries to keep her expression neutral to show that she isn’t affected by this, Dahyun is given away by the disgruntled noise that rumbles at the back of her throat.

“Ooh, someone’s jealous,” Jihyo teases Dahyun, giggling.

To Dahyun’s mild annoyance, Nayeon walks in and asks, “Who’s jealous?”

Dahyun rubs at her temple and releases a slow exhale. “No one is. Just finish cleaning.”

Mina brushes past her then, smile warm as she glances at Dahyun before taking the spoons and forks from the sink. Dahyun swallows at the way Mina’s gaze lingers on her. Noticing this, Chaeyoung, Jihyo, and Nayeon share a devious look, then push Dahyun towards Mina.

“What the hell do you three think you’re doing?!” Dahyun hisses.

“Just giving you the push you need, Captain,” Chaeyoung chirps, unfazed by the sharp glare Dahyun directs at her.

“Go have fun, Cap! You deserve it,” Nayeon says with a wide grin.

“We’ll take care of everything here, so go get your girl,” Jihyo adds with a wink.

Dahyun wants to argue that no such thing will happen, but then she bumps into Mina and causes their eyes to meet again. Mina giggles, soft and cute and painfully melodious to Dahyun’s ears.

“Did you need something, Dahyun-ah?” Mina asks, her eyes shining with affection as she says Dahyun’s name.

Breath stuck in her throat, Dahyun finds herself unable to respond, so Jihyo answers in her stead, “Yeah, actually, why don’t you two also go on ahead, Mina? Nayeon and I will take care of the rest.”

“Are you sure?” Mina asks hesitantly.

“Yeah!” Nayeon says eagerly—much too eagerly, Dahyun thinks. “Jihyo and I can manage, no prob!”

Mina laughs at that, her gaze flickering towards Dahyun as she says, “Okay.”

“Jeongyeon and I’ll be going on ahead, too, then,” Chaeyoung tells Jihyo and Nayeon.

“You better not stay out too late,” Dahyun warns Nayeon.

“Yes, ma’am!” Nayeon salutes Dahyun.

Dahyun waves her off in response, unaware of the raging conflict that storm Jeongyeon’s eyes the entire time.

She doesn’t tell anyone that it was already in her plans to take Mina to the beach after dinner, knowing that they would never stop bugging her if she did.

\-----

Maybe Dahyun _is_ a little jealous.

Not because of the very idea of Mina going out on dates with other people, but of how they’ve known her before Dahyun did. And yet, they wasted their chances of finding out for themselves just how beautiful of a soul Mina is by thinking they could win her over with lavish gifts.

Nothing about that sits right with Dahyun. Mina is just far too beautiful, far too beautiful and kind to be seen and treated as nothing more than a trophy or a prize.

No. Someone as wonderful as Myoui Mina deserves to be seen. To be heard. To be cherished. To be _loved._

Myoui Mina deserves to be with someone who would love her with all their heart and soul.

That’s what Dahyun thinks as Mina leans her head on her shoulder as they continue to walk along the shore, fingers linked and the sand clinging to their bare feet.

After a moment of silence, Dahyun feels Mina’s grip on her hand tighten as Mina quietly asks, “Is there anything you miss from home?”

Dahyun doesn’t answer immediately, taking the time to think of everything and everyone she left back home. Her parents. Her old life. The summers she spent at her grandma’s beach house when she was younger, and how she grew to fall deeper in love with the ocean and the waves crashing against her feet.

The thrill of riding the waves and exploring the waters underneath the surface. 

“There is,” Dahyun admits in a murmur. “My grandma’s beach house. When I was younger, I would always come visit her during the summer and I would stay for a few weeks.”

Mina’s eyes light up at this, making Dahyun want to talk more. “What do you do when you visit?” Mina asks.

Dahyun chuckles, nostalgic, as she says, “The locals loved my grandma, so they taught me to swim, dive, and surf whenever I was there.”

Eyes sparkling with unbridled enthusiasm, Mina breaks into a wide, gummy grin and eagerly asks, “You dive and surf, too?”

When Mina tells her that she goes diving and surfing, too, Dahyun feels that same thrill and excitement from when she took her first lessons run down her spine. It seems like the more she learns about Mina, the more Dahyun realizes that they have a lot more in common despite the stark differences in their way of life.

And yet, the image of Mina in a wetsuit and riding a surfboard doesn’t seem strange at all. Or of Mina in full diving gear and underneath the water.

Dahyun would have loved to see it—would have loved to go on those little adventures with Mina.

It’s a shame they couldn’t do it right now, which she voices out in a quiet murmur, “It’s a shame we couldn’t go diving or surfing right now, though.”

To her confusion, Mina grins, eyes sparkling like she just thought of an amazing idea. “Well, you’re right,” Mina agrees. “But there _is_ something else we can do.”

Then, before Dahyun can finish asking what Mina means by that, Mina tugs at her hand and all but drags Dahyun into the water. It’s only then that Mina lets go of her hand to bend down and splash water against Dahyun.

“Mina!” Dahyun laughs, shielding her face with her hands, but Mina doesn’t stop.

With a small huff, Dahyun decides to get her revenge by splashing water against Mina’s face. Mina erupts into a fit of giggles and tries to avoid the continuous assault by running away, but Dahyun is quick to roll up her pants and chase after her.

She’s soaked to the bone and her uniform clings to her skin, but Dahyun doesn’t care. The sound of Mina’s squeals that fill the air makes Dahyun laugh, adrenaline and exhilaration coursing through her veins as she wades through the water to get to Mina.

Dahyun can’t remember the last time she felt this happy, and it’s a feeling that only intensifies and threatens to burst out of her chest when she wraps her arms around Mina from behind and lifts her in the air. She laughs harder when Mina squeals in surprise and giggles while swatting at her arms, but Dahyun doesn’t loosen her embrace.

And it just feels right, having Mina in her arms like this. Like a perfect fit.

Dahyun can’t find it in herself to let go of Mina yet, so she squeezes Mina’s waist which earns her a squeak of protest. “Dahyun-ah!”

Shoulders shaking from laughing hard, Dahyun sets Mina back down and breathlessly reminds her, “Hey, you started it.”

Turning around in her arms, Mina reaches out to peel a lock of hair away from Dahyun’s face. Despite the coldness that has settled on her skin from both the water and the sea breeze, the brush of Mina’s thumb against her cheek feels strangely warm.

No longer having it in her to resist, Dahyun keeps her arms encircled around Mina’s waist to hold her close, watching the way Mina’s lips twitch into a fond smile. For _her._

“I thought it would be fun,” Mina says, shrugging. “And you looked like you had a great time, you know?”

Well, Dahyun can’t deny that. She can’t even remember the last time she was able to let loose like this without a single care in the world.

When Mina takes her face in her hands and runs her thumb against Dahyun’s temples, Dahyun closes her eyes to savor the touch and releases a shallow breath. It’s far better than what she imagined it to feel like; the softness of Mina’s fingertips stroking her cheeks kindling different sorts of emotions Dahyun never thought she would experience again.

And Dahyun-

Dahyun decides to stop fighting fate altogether and holds Mina closer.

Mina then whispers, “Are you happy, Dahyun-ah?”

Dahyun doesn’t need a moment to think about it. With Mina’s warm, loving hands touching her face and with Mina in her arms, Dahyun can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that she truly is happy.

“I am,” she breathes out.

Mina then softly murmurs something Dahyun doesn’t understand and what must be in Japanese. Head tilted in confusion, Dahyun blinks and asks, “I’m sorry, what was that?”

With a small smile and a shake of the head, Mina clarifies, “The moon is beautiful tonight.”

Unaware of the true meaning behind Mina’s confession, Dahyun glances upwards to the heavens and at the full moon that hangs in the sky along with the innumerable stars that shine above them. She then looks back at Mina and smiles, then murmurs, “It is beautiful, isn’t it?” before tucking a lock of hair behind Mina’s ear.

She doesn’t notice the way Mina’s breath hitches at the touch, and goes on to whisper, “You are, too, Minari.”

And when Mina blushes and smiles shyly, Dahyun already knows that it’s inescapable; a lost cause. That there’s no running away from this.

Her falling in love with Mina is inevitable—a fate Dahyun can’t outrun.

And she decides to embrace destiny by choosing to fall and dive deeper into Mina with every single beat of her heart.

Just like the way she holds Mina in her arms.

\-----

As they wade out of the water hand-in-hand, Mina asks Dahyun, “So, what would you do if you took someone out on a date?”

Dahyun hums, thoughtful, then answers, “I’d make sure they’re comfortable from the very start, and I’d like to cook for them if they’re on board with a homecooked meal. Though if they like the ocean, I guess I’d choose to take them to the beach.”

“Oh? So, like what you did for me tonight?” Mina teases as she strokes Dahyun’s arm, causing Dahyun to choke on air. “Dinner and then a lovely stroll out here on the beach?”

“I- that’s- dinner was for everyone,” Dahyun blurts out, then mentally slaps herself. Great.

“But it’s just the two of us right now, isn’t it?” Mina says more than asks, batting her lashes at Dahyun. Then, she looks around as though searching for something and adds, “Unless everyone else is wearing an invisibility cloak and following us?”

If Dahyun wasn’t so flustered by the teasing and flirting, maybe she would have appreciated the Harry Potter reference more. Giggling at her shell-shocked state, Mina pats Dahyun on the cheek, the affectionate gesture snapping Dahyun out of her daze.

Honestly. Dahyun has lost track of the number of times Mina has caught her off guard, and this time she wants revenge.

When they get back to shore and she spots Mina’s sandals, Dahyun comes up with the best idea as to how to do it. Suppressing a smirk, Dahyun starts to sink on one knee. All Mina has to do now is tease her some more, and if she says what Dahyun thinks she will, then the ball is in Dahyun’s court.

“Oh? You’ll end the date with a proposal?” Mina says with a light laugh, though there’s a bit of a blush coloring her cheeks.

_Bingo._

Dahyun feigns a serious expression as she gazes at Mina. “Well, that’s the goal, isn’t it? To get married?”

Needless to say, it works like a charm. Mina’s lips part open into a small ‘o’, her cheeks turning redder and redder by the second while Dahyun grins in triumph.

If possible, it only gets worse on Mina’s part as Dahyun gently lifts her right foot to slip on a sandal before going on to do the same with her left foot. After securing the straps and putting on her own boots, Dahyun rises to her feet and is greeted by Mina pouting at her.

For a split second, Dahyun is tempted to lean in and kiss it away.

“That’s not fair, Dahyun-ah,” Mina complains, sounding more like a child than a successful businesswoman.

“Hey, I’m only trying to even out the score,” Dahyun says, shrugging.

With her free hand, Mina gives Dahyun a light shove on the shoulder and puffs out her cheeks. Dahyun just laughs, her thumb moving on its own to stroke at Mina’s ring finger without her being aware of it.

\-----

Other than Mina’s soft, even breaths and the sound of her own heartbeat, everything else fades into silence as they sit side-by-side out on the porch.

And for someone who must live a luxurious life back home, Mina seems to be perfectly content with nothing more than a mug of tea in her hands and Dahyun’s arm wrapped around her shoulder. The quiet hum Mina lets out and the way she makes herself comfortable by snuggling closer to Dahyun’s side tells Dahyun as much, if not more.

While she stares up at the stars, Dahyun wonders if Myungoo is somewhere there watching over her. If he can see how his little sister has fallen in love with the angel named Myoui Mina snuggled close to her side.

Dahyun almost laughs at the thought. It’s childish, in a way, but feels strangely right at the same time. She wouldn’t be surprised if Mina has been hiding her wings all this time, or if Mina were to disappear tomorrow morning while she’s still fast asleep.

Dahyun fights off a shaky breath at the thought, then closes her eyes and prays that it won’t happen. Her heart wouldn’t be able to take it if Mina were to suddenly vanish without a trace, leaving her to lose someone for the second time without so much as a warning.

Not when she’s finally allowed herself to be found after wandering around aimlessly with seemingly nowhere to go for so long.

Not when she’s beginning to relearn to think of the future instead of boxing herself in the present.

Tearing her gaze away from the sky, Dahyun turns her head towards Mina; and through the lump in her throat, she asks, “Do you remember when I said that it’s okay to feel lost for a while?”

The only pause comes from Mina lifting her head to meet her gaze, but her answer is immediate. “I do.”

Dahyun exhales and lets down her walls. She wants Mina to know her better. Needs to let someone in—let _Mina_ in.

She releases a steadying breath, voice croaky as she murmurs, “That’s how I’ve felt for so long. I was lost, and most days, I was even afraid of the future.” Then, she pauses, thinking of her and Mina’s inevitable goodbyes that are soon to come as she admits, “I think I still am.”

_I’m afraid of letting you go, Minari._

But Dahyun doesn’t say this out loud, not wanting to ruin the mood and bring a frown to Mina’s face. Instead, she reaches for Mina’s hand and thinks of her bright, gummy smiles; the teasing glint in her eyes; the jump in her own heartbeat whenever Mina touches her; and, finally, the overwhelming feeling of joy as she chased Mina across the water and caught her in an embrace.

Mina squeezes her hand three times, and, looking straight into Mina’s eyes, Dahyun smiles and whispers, “But you’ve made me happy, Minari. And I haven’t felt this way in a long time.”

With parted lips, Mina begins to lean closer, fingers curling around the front of Dahyun’s shirt as their faces draw nearer and nearer. On instinct, Dahyun closes her eyes, feeling Mina’s warm breaths against her own, stuttered ones.

Mina leaves the gentlest of kisses against the corner of her mouth, the lingering of her lips stirring a myriad of emotions that burn white-hot within Dahyun. Then, as softly as ever, Mina whispers, “I hope you’ll always be happy, Dahyun-ah…”

_That said, promise me one thing? Promise me you’ll always find a reason to smile and be happy, and I promise I will, too._

Dahyun swallows down the growing lump in her throat. It feels too much like a goodbye, hearing Mina say those words.

Just like her brother.

For a passing moment, she can already see Mina settling back into her old life—her _normal_ life—the one where they aren’t aware of each other’s existence. Surely, Mina would be busy getting back on track from where she left off, and all this would then fade away into a distant memory.

But that’s how it’s supposed to be. Dahyun has to accept that her and Mina saying their goodbyes are inevitable—that they’re as unavoidable as her falling in love with Mina.

But Dahyun isn’t ready to say goodbye yet. She never even truly said her goodbyes to her brother, and she doesn’t think she can bear to give Mina one tonight. Or tomorrow, for that matter. And for a moment, Dahyun finds herself back inside her room with the box of her brother’s belongings again. Back to the Dahyun that was so scared of letting go.

So, instead of pulling away, Dahyun closes her eyes and touches her forehead to Mina’s. Then, she takes Mina’s hand and guides it to rest above her chest, right above her beating heart.

And as Mina takes her face in her hands, Dahyun desperately prays and pleads that for once, just this once, time would stop or at least slow down.

But when has the universe ever listened to her?

Little does she know that Mina isn’t ready to let go and say goodbye, either, and that she prays for the same thing as Dahyun in that moment.

Little do she and Mina know that the universe itself isn’t ready to watch and listen to them say their goodbyes to each other.

And yet, it can’t freeze time or turn the hourglass around, no matter how fervently she and Mina pray for it to happen.

In the end, all Dahyun hopes for is that Mina would remember the rhythm of her heartbeat.

\-----

_“Oppa, do you believe in angels?”_

_Myungsoo grins at Dahyun and ruffles her hair, causing Dahyun to giggle. “Yeah, I do.”_

_Face lighting up, Dahyun rests her chin above her palms and asks, “What do you think they do?”_

_“Well, I’m sure they’re here to watch over us. Maybe they even cry, too, when bad stuff happens to us.”_

_“Really?” Dahyun’s eyes widen, her mind racing as her seven-year old self wraps her head around this. “Why?”_

_Myungsoo pauses, thoughtful, grin melting into a softer smile as he answers, “It must be because they care about us, so of course they’d be sad if we got hurt.”_

_Eyebrows furrowed, Dahyun nods slowly as she listens. “Like how mom and dad are sad when we get hurt?”_

_“Yeah, just like that,” Myungsoo says with a nod, then ruffles Dahyun’s hair. “So, don’t get hurt and make your angel cry, okay, Dahyun-ah?”_

_Dahyun breaks into a wide, toothy grin and nods rapidly. “I promise, oppa!” she promises as she holds out her pinky._

_Myungsoo laughs and wraps their pinkies together._

\-----

(It’s another promise to her brother that Dahyun breaks.

She makes her angel cry.

She makes Mina cry.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being here for this story every step of the way, I really appreciate all the love and support you guys have shown so far <3 I'd love to hear your thoughts down in the comments below :D

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Twitter: [minaridubu](https://twitter.com/minaridubu)


End file.
